NO THROUGH ROAD

Australia, 2008, 85 minutes, Colour.
James Helm, George Chevdsov.
Directed by Sam Barrett.

No Through Road takes place from evening to morning. It focuses on a photographer, Richard (James Helm) who goes home to his luxury house? Hearing a noise, he finds a young woman, Sam, hiding in his closet. What follows is a living nightmare. Three men in a pickup truck outside want to speak with the girl. They grow more menacing as the evening goes on. Richard tries to use his wits but has a background of being fearful, especially at the time of the death of his policeman father and his ineffectiveness in helping to save his father. He calls a family friend, a former policeman, who falls foul of the group and is killed.

As the night wears on, the sense of menace becomes stronger as does the violence. Ultimately, there are some scenes of torture (in the vein of Hostel) which seem to dwell on the torture for its own visual sake and for thrills for the audience. However, unlike Hostel, the film has a sufficient psychological and realistic grounding in the plot to explain why it happens.

The film moves into a final vindictive mode, Richard overcoming all adversaries and destroying his enemies. There are some plot twists, especially with the young woman as a drug addict who had been raped by the gang a year earlier and had met the chief rapist, who had come out of prison, and killed him in the park – hence her not wanting to call the police.

The film is technically very well made, has some plausibility, works in the genre of menace and revenge – but, for many audiences, will be marred by some of the bloodthirstiness and the brutality of some of its sequences.

1.A thriller which shocks, the tradition of the slasher film, the torture film, vengeance film?

2.The Australian city, the serene opening on the beach, the highways, the parks, the suburban streets, the house, the interiors? Authentic feel?

3.The atmosphere, the score? Evening, the beach, people relaxing on the beach, Richard taking photos? The background of the football match and the fans, the television, the radio, the night game? The long night?

4.The title, the street where Richard lived, the symbolism for the thriller? The experience?

5.The sequences of torture, the plot credibility? The visuals? How much to be presented? Relishing these sequences?

6.The introduction to Richard on the beach, the photos, not being interested in the football, the yobbos in the car? His house, inherited, his wealth, the drink, reading? His father being a policeman? The background of his father’s death?

7.The girl in the house, his reactions, the police? Calling his friend, his friend’s death? The thugs, their taunts? Hiding, going into action, his ingenuity, using the radio speakers and the music, his friend in the mirror taunting him, his being caught, tortured, vindication at the end, proving himself? Violence and brutality?

8.Sam, being in the house, her fear, hiding, the addict, not wanting the police, staying in the house, her wounds, the mystery, Richard’s reaction?

9.The group arriving, louts, the discussions about the football, waiting for Eddie? Wanting Sam? The taunts, the brutality? The leader and his ugliness? The rape issue? The truth, Eddie in prison, getting out, their coming to wreak vengeance?

10.Richard’s friend, watching TV, the football, his deaf wife, coming over, talking to the louts, confronting them, the sudden attack, his being killed? His body in the van? The reappearance in the mirror and his challenging Richard?

11.The thugs, the blood, taunting Robert, the capture of Richard and Sam, getting into the house?

12.The escape, the back fence? Using the blaring music? The neighbour coming over and the lout threatening?

13.Chas, his violence, the rape, Richard and the sword, slashing Chas? The return, imprisoning Richard, tying him to the chair, torturing him? The neighbour coming, helping, Richard and his wits, killing Chas?

14.The leader of the group, in the house, out of the house, his manner? Taunting Robert? Going to find Eddie, finding the body, the return? Richard and the car, his being run over?

15.Sam, her fear, the escape, taken? Her killing Eddie? The flashbacks? Robert and the assault, in the room with him, Robert killing her? Richard killing Robert?

16.The long night, audiences identifying with the predicament, identifying with Richard, being repelled by the events and behaviour?