For fun's sake, if in the right frame of mind a Shot on Video horror flick can offer heaps of enjoyment. In order for the SOV venture to be successful however, there are a few elements that should almost always be included (at the very least) to add to its entertainment value. If the film isn't going to offer a decent script, acting or inventive camera work (which many don't), then it should at least involve heaps of gore and a fair share of nudity (please give us something!). Well, it pleases me to say that Hell's Highway not only includes the exploitative elements indicated above, but it also includes pretty much all of the above, and is an entertaining guilty pleasure that The Monsters aren't ashamed to admit that they quite enjoyed.

The SOV flick Hell's Highway kinda caught me by surprise to be honest with you. I really had no idea what to expect, but after seeing the trailer on another Brain Damage Film's presentation, I knew that I had to check it out. Amidst the aftermath of my screening, I'm definitely glad that I took a look. The picture of perfection, this film is not. However, there are moments that shine as well as those that are dull, but in the bitter end, Hell's Highway will be remembered as a mostly positive cinematic viewing experience... in other words it was pretty cool.

Our story opens as a young (and attractive) hitchhiker is picked up in the desert by an unidentified male driver. We soon find out that this fella isn't so anonymous as he proceeds to drug and then brutally stab the young woman, revealing that he's a priest (obviously out to strike down some kind of evil). Said evil strikes back with a nasty shovel to the head (with some splitting results). Cut to a group of friends on a cross-country drive that's about to come to an abrupt halt. Up until this point it's been driving, drinking, smoking and laughing (and maybe a little bit of flashing, cha-ching!) ahh to be young again. Along the way, the group picks up a young female hitchhiker named Lucinda (guess who?). Lucinda proceeds to taunt the group and threatens to kill them all, just like she claims to have done to another carload of youngin's (never mind all the make-shift graves along the highway). Our friends manage to dump Lucinda (for the time being) but we haven't seen the last of her. Could it be that Lucinda is the devil? Or is there a more scientific explanation to be had? Needless to say these kids keep on running and Lucinda keeps on showing up... how does she do it?

It may not sound like much, but the film is certainly cleverly executed. Lots of gore, a fair share of nudity and some cool camera set ups including a brilliant showdown between a pager and a cell phone (you'll have to check it out to see what I mean). The ensemble cast is impressive for the most part with only a few slight slip-ups in the ol' acting department. Ron Jeremy stops by for a brief cameo (even though he gets top billing) who succumbs to an unfortunate knife to the penis gag (what were you expecting?). Where the film really excels though is in its extreme ambitiousness. Gore effects are top notch (stabbings, bashed head, disembowelment etc.). In addition to the splatter, there is even impressive use of miniatures, explosions and creative creature effects. Thumbs up to Joe Castro for providing the effective gore effects, which were all top notch.

Hell's Highway is not a problem free film. There are some moments that are so excruciatingly painful to watch like a Blair Witch bit that's too close for comfort, but it's made up for by a Texas Chainsaw Massacre bit and an Evil Dead bit (intentional?) that's nothing short of brilliant. Mix the good and the bad and you still come out of the whole experience ultimately fulfilled. There are some truly inspired moments to be found within that make Hell's Highway a more than satisfying view. The time flew by and before I knew it, it was all over. Yeah, I was definitely entertained.

The tape I checked out also had a few unexpected extras. First up was a brief behind the scenes segment that included interviews with many cast and crewmembers. The main focus here were the off the wall accidents that happened during shooting, falling into the old cursed set cliché. Next up is an alternate take of a scene from the film (with different music). Lastly, and the biggest surprise was some behind the scenes footage from the LA premier of the documentary Pornstar: The Legend of Ron Jeremy, good stuff indeed.

Fans of Indie horror (you know who you are) will surely find much to like within Hell's Highway, as it's definitely an entertaining view from start to finish. Hell's Highway is available on both VHS and DVD. For everything to damage your brain, check out Brain Damage Films by clicking here!