Rest Stop - Don't Look Back DVD: Review By Bryan Yentz

Ah, sequels... If there's one thing that's true about them, it's that normally they aren't near as good as the first. While some films have admirably achieved the imagination and heart of the first, like... Oh, let's say... Toy Story 2 (yeah, it wasn't anything epic, but c'mon...). Others have simply fallen flat on their celluloid faces-which in turn, seem to hurt the film they originally derived from... Like The Matrix and its awful sequel, Reloaded... And the not-as-bad-as-the-second-but-still-really-not-that-good sequel after that one-Revolutions. And now here we are... Another film, another tired sequel, which assumes it's good simply because the first was a somewhat successful cult hit....

I was really pulling for this one. I enjoyed the first quite a bit because it played out (for the most part) like a gruesome episode of the X-Files... Sadly, my hopes-like the many ghosts permeating Rest Stop-simply disappeared as soon as the protagonists reared their "please kill me because I'm obviously too stupid to live" faces.

Okay, first and foremost (as stated above) I thoroughly enjoyed the first entry in this hopefully ended series. It was dark, gritty, intense, and had just enough unexplained supernatural aspects to keep it interesting, without posing massive holes in the storyline. And possibly my favorite part of it had to be the excellent performance delivered by Joey Lawrence (remember "Brotherly Love?" Anybody? Yeesh). Now here we have Rest Stop 2: Don't Look Back. A tired, sequel which turns the first film's most compelling aspect into an absolute gimmick. And that aspect you ask? Well, the supernatural one, of course. In the first film-like the female protagonist-we didn't know who was alive or dead. It was a mystery that kept itself afloat the entire way through without feeling like it had to be properly explained as to why they were there, or why that place had a purgatory-like grip on them. In this outing however, practically the entire film feels as though it is constantly laughing at you while it says, "Haha, are they alive or dead? Is he dead? Is she dead? Yes! No! Maybe! I don't know! Hahaha!" Granted the first one already instilled its viewers with a knowledge of the rest stop, in this version there is no hiding it; everyone you think is a ghost is most likely a ghost-which even ties into the piss-poor ending in which the directors/writers couldn't even specify which was which during the commentary. Due to this, there isn't any twist to anything occurring. The simple thought constantly jogging through the viewer's head is, "Oh, I guess that person is probably dead too."

Okay... I guess I've addressed that... Let's move on... How about the tone of the film?

I'm not sure what the filmmakers were thinking when collaborating on this piece of rushed garbage, but the film hardly keeps the first one's intensity intact... Whatsoever. Instead, the film tries to walk a "fine" line between horror and comedy... And it utterly fails. One scene in particular has a character rammed by The Driver while in a porta-potty. Funny, huh? After being rammed for the nth time, he's-you guessed it-covered in crap. This scene is so unbelievable in its presentation that you don't know whether to be grossed out or laugh... Then you realize that even if it were a comedy, it still wouldn't be funny; and even if it were a gross-out horror film, it still wouldn't be gross, aside from the initial, "I'm glad I don't have someone else's feces on me" reaction. This tonal shifting continues with said character posing himself as a complete foil to the macho-man lead character. Practically every line delivered by this odd-looking ginger is laced with stupidity and failed humor. Whenever he opens his mouth, you just wish something-like a gun-would fill it, just so you wouldn't have to listen to his idiotic banter anymore. And while we're talking about lame characters, why don't we take a look at the rest of the cast... Let's start off with the male lead; an ex-soldier whose brother was mercilessly murdered by The Driver in the first Rest Stop. So you think, "Oh cool, a military figure going to get revenge" Wrong. For the majority of the film, he spends his time yelling "F*ck! And sh*t!" at baddies and less time using his military might to properly fight back... And no that lame scene where he uses an assault rifle on The Driver's vehicle does not make up for it. And if that weren't enough, he's accompanied by a blond-hair bitch that can hardly say anything that doesn't sound like complaining. On top of that, I found the performances simply unbelievable, as well as many of the choices they make. In fact, I was watching it with a friend whom I had proclaimed the praises of the first one to... After only about 20-30 minutes I began feeling embarrassed when he kept questioning every stupid characteristic to the movie, simply because I couldn't defend it at all. Why do the characters act like they're going on spring break when they're actually trying to find out what happened to their murdered brother/friend? Why does the creepy ginger have sex with a girl that's been presumed dead for a year and is now, scarred, bloodied and even has numbers carved into her stomach? Yes, I know he's wanted to "screw her" for so long (as the caring female lead put it), but think about it. A girl has been not only missing for a year, but DEAD. You're on a journey to find her as well as what happened to her. She appears out of know where-mutilated. Instead of trying to get her to the rest of the group-he has sex with her... It doesn't even matter that she's already dead... He has sex with a mumbling, crazed, mutilated woman... I guess that was the only logical course of action...

Okay, what now? How about the baddies? Like The Driver and the Winnebego Family. Once again-first film: both were equally deranged and somewhat terrifying. Sequel: Dull, uninspired and hardly in the film. Apparently the filmmakers were trying to build on the mythology of The Driver and The Family, by showing you a little unsympathetic back story... Which is kind of funny because despite the filmmaker's words and efforts, doesn't make you sympathize with The Driver at all. It just further establishes that he's an unjustified prick of a ghost bent on torturing and killing for his own stupid reasons (which is only discovered through the making-of segment). Even the violence they were going for, which tries so hard to be vicious and cruel just feels stale and worn-out. Again, first one: "Woah, that was pretty horrific." Second: "Are we done yet?"

Overall, if you can't catch my drift; this is one damn awful experience, both as a sequel and as a stand-alone horror film. They filmmakers took a chance switching directors and it shows. On the plus side though there is some nice cinematography by Jas Shelton... Sadly, it's nothing you'll push yourself to see when the rest of the film keeps bogging you down. In the end, like the rest stop in which all of this supernatural terror takes place; Rest Stop 2 is nothing as it should be.

Mythology of Rest Stop-Making of-

While the filmmakers are more enthusiastic about this short segment, it's really nothing special. Probably the only reason to watch it is to hear some of the lot points that the film itself failed to address. Then again; at this point, who really cares?

Commentary with Writer/Producer John Shiban and Director Shawn Papazian-

Very dull and (at points) quite a chore to listen to simply because of how bored the commentators sound. Listen as they mention their cinematographer Jas Shelton-who was possibly the only person to create something positive within this convoluted road-trip. Hear them as they try and explain what they were going for with the ending-then become disappointed when you discover that they didn't even have a solid idea of that either.

Alternate Ending-

Pretty much the same as the first one. Very few things change, but the gimmick stays the same.

Deleted Scenes-

Some extra sequences that really aren't worth your time. The only thing that is somewhat interesting is a death scene originally shot for the gas-station attendant.

The only redeeming aspect to the film (thank Jas Shelton), it's presented in a widescreen 1.77:1 color format.

It all works. You can hear the screams of the victims, the completely unfunny humor of the ginger kid, the bitching of the heroine, and the misplaced language flowing out of the central character's mouth. Enjoy. It's presented in an English language format with Spanish, French and English subtitles.

A variation on the first Rest Stop cover, the main differences being the change from a dull, hazy yellow to a darker blue. That,and now on pair of legs are accompanied by another (that being this film's gun-toting lead character).

As I sit here typing, I continue to think of problems I had with this flop of a flick... But I suppose just saying that this is just one BIG missed opportunity should suffice.