The story established in "Rest Stop" continues with this movie, in which Richard Tillman plays Tom Hilts, a Corporal returned from Iraq who learns that his younger brother Jesse (Joseph George Mendicino), the protagonist of the first film, has gone missing. He embarks on a road trip from Texas to rural California, with his girl Marilyn (Jessie Ward) and a nerdy friend, Jared (Graham Norris), in tow. The three of them don't have to wait for long before the villainous trucker (Brionne Davis), who is intent on torturing sinners, is terrorizing them.
While "Don't Look Back" doesn't stand out from the very large pack of direct to home video horror out there, it has its moments. It includes a touch of the supernatural, and does have a lowbrow sense of humour at times. Writer / producer John Shiban and director Shawn Papazian do seem to delight in being as gross as possible, especially in the sequence where Norris is attacked while utilizing a Port-a-Potty. The scenery & widescreen photography are superb, the soundtrack just fine, and the makeup effects are suitably disgusting. The characters do take a while to grow on you; at first, Marilyn and Jared come off as caricatures. But when they start taking the fight to the trucker, they have enough rooting interest.
Studly Tillman (younger brother of the late, great Pat Tillman) is well cast as the hero, although the script takes a turn for a while that makes you think that he will be expendable. The cast is decent enough right down the line; buffs will note the presence of Diane Louise Salinger (Simone in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure") as the Reverends' trampy wife, and Steve Railsback ("The Stunt Man", 'Helter Skelter') is nicely cast in an admittedly cliched type of role as a slovenly gas station proprietor.
Okay for at least a one time watch, "Don't Look Back" is disposable horror fare. No more and no less.
Five out of 10.
While "Don't Look Back" doesn't stand out from the very large pack of direct to home video horror out there, it has its moments. It includes a touch of the supernatural, and does have a lowbrow sense of humour at times. Writer / producer John Shiban and director Shawn Papazian do seem to delight in being as gross as possible, especially in the sequence where Norris is attacked while utilizing a Port-a-Potty. The scenery & widescreen photography are superb, the soundtrack just fine, and the makeup effects are suitably disgusting. The characters do take a while to grow on you; at first, Marilyn and Jared come off as caricatures. But when they start taking the fight to the trucker, they have enough rooting interest.
Studly Tillman (younger brother of the late, great Pat Tillman) is well cast as the hero, although the script takes a turn for a while that makes you think that he will be expendable. The cast is decent enough right down the line; buffs will note the presence of Diane Louise Salinger (Simone in "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure") as the Reverends' trampy wife, and Steve Railsback ("The Stunt Man", 'Helter Skelter') is nicely cast in an admittedly cliched type of role as a slovenly gas station proprietor.
Okay for at least a one time watch, "Don't Look Back" is disposable horror fare. No more and no less.
Five out of 10.