The Movie: Tailgate / Bumperkleef
The Director: Lodewijk Crijns
The Cast: Jeroen Spitzenberger, Anniek Pheifer, Roosmarijn van der Hoek, Liz Vergeer, Willem de Wolf
The Story: A cocksure, road-raging family man finds himself pursued and terrorized by the vengeful van driver he chooses to tailgate.
The Review:
You ever want a movie to freak you out because the villain is so creepy, nasty, and dangerous that he actually frightens you and gives you the chills just thinking about them? Well, you've come to the right place because this movie from the Netherlands directed by Lodewijk Crijns has one of the best villains I have seen in some time. Willem de Wolf might just get my nod for villain of the year as he is so good being a brutally violent and rudely blunt serial killer who poses as a pest exterminator as a way to ensnare his victims who he then actually exterminates.
What also makes this movie fun and a bit different is how the dad of the family that is being stalked really isn't the nicest person himself so there's times where you think maybe he has it coming. This also creates a level of drama and tension within the family since they are often at odds with each other while also trying to collectively stay alive. To be fair, he's not a completely bad dude, he does everything he can to save his family even as some of the decisions he makes are what got them into the predicament in the first place.
Most of the action in the movie takes place via car chase and, while most of it isn't fast paced like action movie style, all of it is very high tension which I think is mostly owed to a sense of inevitability. The exterminator is so prepared and so determined and so methodical, you just can't see a way that this unsuspecting and dysfunctional family is going to escape or even survive. As I mentioned, there is a family drama within the story that plays out in unexpected ways and provides some life lessons about what is and should be important to us, especially during times of crisis.
The Verdict:
Tailgate is a highly effective horror movie that never lets its foot off the gas and drives its characters down a bloody and murderous path. One of the best and scariest movies I have watched this year. Highly recommended for any fans of the genre.
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