Detour Review

4 Star How Claustrophobic Do You Want It?

Writer/ Director William Dickerson (The Mirror), undertakes a project that most would shy away from as he takes a whole film to show the dilemma of what you would do to survive when all you have is the space inside your estate car.

If you are claustrophobic then this will be your worst nightmare as we spend too much time within the confines of a vehicle.

Jackson (Neil Hopkins, Skyline) wakes up in his car not knowing what is going on, but he soon realises that all things are not well for him as the nightmare dawns on him that his car is submerged in the Californian mud even though it’s a desert. With creaks and groans the pressure of the mud threatens to enter his tomb at any moment.

With no reception on his phone or the car radio Jackson is on his own, a man on the top of his game as a slick advertising man with everything going for him as his beautiful girlfriend Laurie (Brea Grant, Ice Road Terror) is holding his future as they set up home together.

The elements are against him as time passes by, everything is trying to get into his car (mud, water and ants). With a sit-rep he assesses the tools at his disposal which include fudge coated pretzels, a mag-light, spare tyre, wire, string, scotch-tape, steering lock and empty Endera (his latest project) water bottles. He makes good use of all of these as he struggles with the boredom and the lack of oxygen and the lack of toilet facilities and fresh water muddy or not.

With the use of his phone he documents his misfortune, be they regrets or confessing his love for the absent Laurie, who features heavily in his vivid dreams. But eventually the bull must be taken by the horns and the decision must be made, is this my final resting place or are you man enough to take your destiny by the hair and drag it to the surface and smell the fresh air.

Great acting by Hopkins as the camera is on him 90% of the time, it’s a brave attempt to make a full film on this subject and I believe Dickerson pulls it off admirably. It keeps you on the edge of your seat as you battle alongside Jackson for the freedom he craves.

Available to Download today.

Watch the trailer here.