Review: Rest Stop 2: Don't Look Back (2008)

Written By: Gaius Bolling

Release Date: September 30th, 2008

The original "Rest Stop" was one of those direct to DVD ventures that actually exceeded my expectations and made for an entertaining thrill ride. The film isn't high art but it's much better than it has any right to be. The sequel, is pretty much more of the same but you would expect it to be a bit worse considering it's the follow up to a direct to DVD feature but it manages to break all logic and be pretty decent. This thing isn't winning awards anytime soon but it's highly entertaining and it actually expands on the mythology from the first film to further expand the scope of the film.

"Rest Stop: Don’t Look Back" picks up where the first film left off, and retains the majority of the original cast as well.  Tom (Richard Tillman) has returned home from the war and is determined to get some closure regarding the disappearance of his brother Jesse (Joey Mendicino).  With his goofy friend Jared (Graham Norris) and sexy girlfriend Marilyn (Jessie Ward) in tow they head off to retrace that fateful road trip.  It’s a short matter of time before they find themselves in the dead zone facing off against the same malevolent monster behind the wheel of that old yellow Ford pickup.  This time around the stakes are raised as our psychopath brings along some playmates to help him.  (Remember that crazy religious family in the Winnebago?)  Can the ghosts of Jesse and Nicole help Tom and his friends defeat the sadistic psycho’s, or will they end up as a few more victims? 

It's hard to really write about this film without giving away some key plot points so please be aware there are spoilers ahead and if you wish to see this film without ruining any of the surprises please avoid the next 2 paragraphs.

The most engaging aspect of the film is that the filmmakers seems to have a real respect for the story. It would be very easy to write this off as another run of the mill slasher flick but the filmmakers take the mythology very seriously and once it's fully established that there are more supernatural elements at work here rather than the presence of a flesh and blood killer, the audience buys it because the filmmakers themselves believe that this twist (which is set up in the first film) can actually work. There are things you learn in this film that actually make you understand the first film a bit more. The fact the the killers are truly ghosts who are trapped in a time and space where they are forced to murder (or "cleanse") all those who enter their ring of terror is actually quite compelling. The two "Rest Stop" films work better than they should because they take the classic slasher set up and attempt to turn it on its head.

The film features a few new characters and even the two victims from the first film make a few appearances (although Nicole is played by Julie Mond this time around). The new characters are nicely entered into the story and actually manage to make you care about them in the progress. Tom's journey to find his brother gives his character a purpose that might be normally missing from films of this nature and Jared, who begins as the goofy best friend, manages to earn sympathy when you realize his crush on Nicole is what driving him to find her. Marilyn even begins as a typical tough girl stereotype but by the end she manages to get to a place where she has grown because of the events in the film. I was extremely surprised that some time and effort went into making these characters work because this is something sorely missing from a lot of recent horror movies whether it's released to cinema or direct to DVD.

Oddly enough one of the strengths of the film is also its biggest weakness. It's nice that they have fleshed out the mythology of the rest stop and the killer who wrecks havoc there but in doing so it also humanizes him a bit which makes him a bit less threatening. Sure, he's still doing many things to torture the victims and blood is flowing (more so than in the original) but since there is a clear motive behind why he's doing what he's doing, it makes the impact fall a bit flat. The first film worked because you weren't sure why he was going over them but this film gives us a clear cut explanation and perhaps too much is revealed about our killer to make him feel like much of a threat.

There are a few torture and action sequences that are bound to excite and stun viewers. I watched this film and "Joy Ride 2" on the same day and the differences between the two films were startling. Both films are direct to DVD features and both have their fair share of action and torture scenes but "Rest Stop 2" actually gets it right. The fact that we care about the characters before they are menaced makes the scenes when they are victimized work all the more better because we're getting gore with a purpose. There is a scene where one of the characters is tied down to a table as the killer drills holes into the person's knees and this scene worked ten times better than any of the torture scenes in "Joy Ride 2".  

The acting, much like the original, is pretty good for the material. It would've been nice to see Jaimie Alexander come back as Nicole since she was pivotal part of the first film but Julie Mond does nicely in her place for a few scenes. Richard Tillman, Graham Norris, and Jessie Ward all do fine work here and they manage to make us care about what happens to them in the end. Graham Norris is particularly effective since his character grows the most out of the 3.

"Rest Stop 2: Don't Look Back" does end in a way the sets up a third installment and I must say if it stays on the level of the two films that precede it I will be more than happy to give the film a shot. The two "Rest Stop" films have certainly found their audience on the direct to DVD market and I can see why. They're entertaining, effective, and a fun way to spend 90 minutes. This sequel may not break any new ground but if you enjoyed the original, i have no doubt you will enjoy this installment.