Roadkill (2022) Review

Highway Bandit vs. Serial Killer Slow Burn Suddenly Accelerates

Roadkill is an outback serial killer film with a noirish plot that stumbles around before suddenly focusing and throttling into an exciting conclusion.

The plot ratchets the dramatic potential by stringing together conflicts. One, Roadkill pits a highway bandit against a roaming serial killer. Two, the highway bandit lies to his girlfriend every day, saying he works in a mine. Three, his girlfriend is the niece of a suspicious detective.

Connor is a romanticized bandit. He is raising money so he and his girlfriend can escape their depressing rural life in a remote community. While he will stop your car and rob you at gunpoint, he will also politely let you know that your keys and wallet can be found just ahead on the road.

He is also a blank slate, resisting an attempt to describe his background. Instead, director and star Alexander Whitrow keeps us in the dark, holding onto Connor’s backstory until much later in the film.

The low-key police in the vast Outback wasteland have hardly noticed Connor robbing people at gunpoint and driving off in a bright red sports car. But they are on high alert over a series of gory, unexplained killings. As a result, Connor’s life as an under-the-radar bandit is about to change.

Rounding out the small cast are foils to the brash Connor: a close-to-retirement cop, his younger out-of-his-depth partner, and the creepy killer who has easily avoided suspicion.

Director, lead, and writer Whitrow spring loads this story with tension, a saving grace because the direction is matter-of-fact. The pacing is slow burn, and there aren’t a lot of stunning visuals, just a lot of quiet conversations in mundane locations. Although Roadkill nails the bland outback town feel, more compelling framing could have helped spark this story’s elements.

Like many Australian thrillers, Roadkill gives you the lonely flavor of the outback. In arid Southern Australia, there are thousands of miles of highway along isolated zones, connecting a small population spread out in mostly tiny towns. While this location definitely sets a mood, it’s a subdued one.

In Roadkill’s remote area, life is slow, and things are quiet not just out on the empty highway but everywhere, in the police station and even the local bars. And especially in the humble rental shack that Connor and his girlfriend live in.

The insular nature of Connor and Lucy’s lifestyle adds to the pin-drop ambiance. She works at a farm, then returns to spend time alone with Connor. He comes home from a solitary day of robbing motorists for quiet evenings with Lucy.

After maintaining a languid pace for over an hour, suddenly, Roadkill wakes up with an electrifying closing sequence. In an even more remote area, the fast-paced three-way showdown between Connor, the killer, and the police crackles with energy.

Whitrow’s debut feature is uneven, with some dead spots in the script and some less-than-stellar supporting performances. But the clever setup and slam-bang ending reveals a talent in development.

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Michael J McMorrow writes about movies and pop music at popshots.news

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