Reviewed by Melissa Garza
Have you ever watched a film that went straight to DVD wishing you had the opportunity to view it on the big screen? If you haven’t, after watching YellowBrickRoad, you will. It’s a smart Blair Witch Project minus the documentary feel.
A group of adventurous hikers travel to Friar, New Hampshire in hopes of learning more about the eerie legend that follows the small town. In 1940, the entire community left Friar and walked down a path leaving all they knew far behind.
The group led by Teddy (Michael Laurino) and his wife Melissa (Annesa Ramsey) come to town and find a local movie theater. They go inside asking for directions and are first met with resistance, but soon cinema employee Liv (Laura Heisler) agrees to show them where to go with the condition she gets to leave as well.
When they start venturing out, strange occurrences begin nearly immediately. The electronic mapping system they have registers that they are in Guam. Come nigh fall, a strange old fashioned song plays in the distance. The group becomes curious and ventures towards it. The tune slowly transcends from unusual and unsettling, to disturbing and insanity inducing.
As they descend into madness, each one fights the urge to kill – some not being able to fight it enough. They turn violent and angry and quickly turn on one another. The coordinates that advise of the way out don’t make sense and as they are unable to agree as to how to proceed, they break off into different fractions – Teddy being the only one who proceeds north towards the music.
YellowBrickRoad is a frightening, heart-stopping film with many shocks along the way. It isn’t the quick scares but more-so the disturbing uncertainty that sits long after the movie is over. The acting is well-done, the dialogue is outstanding. It is definitely a must-see for any horror fan.
The conclusion doesn’t answer many questions but rather offers several different possible scenarios that could explain all that came before.
Overall Rating 8/10: True Horror At Its Finest
