Black Cab

Holy heck this was a tough watch. And quite a bizarre one too I have to say. On the one hand you have a lame duck of a horror movie with almost nothing to offer, yet amongst all that you have the natural charisma of Nick Frost doing everything it can to shine through. Could he do enough to save it? He could not.

This movie just didn't work on any level. It wasn't intriguing, it wasn't scary or mysterious or tense. It was just a nothing ride. And frankly quite an unpleasant one too. All the characters were highly detestable people and not a lot of fun to spend 90 minutes with.

For whatever reason the British do not seem to do horror all that well. I've seen very few British horror movies over the years that I've actually enjoyed and 'Black Cab' was certainly not one of them. 4/10.

Semi-creepy, semi-interesting with horrible flow and logic, insipid acting, minuscule gore, below-average psychological ghost impact, nothing to say on it besides it makes you sleep like tiny dosage of propofol. British indie horror that's slightly below-average, phlegmatically underachieved and never should have been produced. That black cab should have eaten the driver whole up.

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 3
• Production value/impact: 4.5
• Development: 5.5
• Realism: 4.5
• Entertainment: 1.5
• Acting: 6
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 6
• VFX: 7.5
• Music/score/sound: 4.5
• Depth: 2
• Logic: 1
• Flow: 2
• Horror/thriller/drama: 3
• Ending: 1.

I read the very short synopsis and the story grabbed my attention. So I watched it. All seemed good and the story was going smoothly until it started turning into a bit of a Twin Peaks, extremely confusing in other words!

I was surprised to see Nick Frost cast in a serious/psychopathic role. It was like Kevin James giving a surprising performance in Becky. Both comedians and both did quite well playing serious roles.

Like I said this movie began to go all over the place three-quartres into it. It was very confusing towards the end.

I could not make anything out of it. Was it supposed to be a horror Groundhog Day movie? Was it supposed to be like Ryde?

There was nothing wrong with the performane of the cast. But the story and moreover the ending seriously disappointed me! I suspect the person who posted the first contribution must be one of the producers or someone somehow connected to the movie.

British indie horror can sometimes be a bit hit and miss. This one is fairly middle of the road.

Nick Frost plays his part well. Equal parts troubled, scared, creepy and even endearing. He steals the show for me although Synnove Karlsen puts in a decent turn.

The movie plays on classic haunted highway ghost stories and has some creepy moments. Theres an interesting angle about how vulnerable we really are in a cab driven by someone we know nothing about but that isn't really the purpose of the story, although the depth in Frost's performance did make me think.

Shot in the dark and taking place in a single night with a significant proportion inside a London cab, there's some good use of light. A couple of jump scares and some creepy exposition delivered nicely by Frost give the film just enough atmosphere to keep you engaged.

My favourite part was the ending which is a little ambiguous and probably open to some interpretation.

Overall though I thought it was pretty average fare.

If you're in the mood for a horror film that can't quite decide if it wants to terrify you with supernatural spooks or send a chill down your spine with a serial killer's knife, then "Black Cab" might just be your ride. Unfortunately, the film is a bit like a taxi that keeps circling the block without ever quite reaching its destination.

The plot centers around Anne (Synnøve Karlsen) and Patrick (Luke Norris), an estranged couple who, during a night out, find themselves at the mercy of a seemingly genial cab driver played by Nick Frost. As the evening takes an unnerving turn, the couple realizes they've been abducted and trapped on a remote, haunted road where the lines between the driver's dark motives and supernatural elements blur. What follows is a mix of psychological tension and paranormal confusion that leaves both the characters and audience guessing.

Frost's portrayal of the cab driver is one of the movie's biggest draws. Fans of his unique blend of humor and menace will appreciate his commitment to the role. He brings his usual wit while trying to wrap it in dread that spices up the film's first half, though his character never quite reaches its full potential. Despite Frost's best efforts, the script holds him back from transcending into the truly chilling villain the story needs. His performance wavers between sinister charm and overplayed ambiguity, resulting in a character that feels like a missed opportunity for horror greatness.

Goggins' direction is atmospheric, particularly in the way he captures the claustrophobic, isolated road setting, utilizing fog-drenched landscapes and eerie silences to ramp up suspense. However, this careful crafting is somewhat undercut by a plot that cannot decide whether it wants to be a paranormal ghost story or a gritty tale of abduction and human depravity. The film oscillates between these two horror subgenres without committing to either, leaving viewers with a sense of narrative whiplash.

The pacing suffers as a result, with the first half filled with promise and taut, well-measured suspense, while the second half devolves into a somewhat chaotic scramble of revelations that don't fully deliver. I found myself nodding off at times, because there is just a lot of driving down a dark road throughout the film.

In the end, "Black Cab" is a film that will intrigue those who enjoy layered suspense and are fans of Nick Frost's distinctive approach to dark roles. Certainly an ok one time watch.