Don't Go on the Trail (2012)

Directed by Jody S. Dean

Written by Jody S. Dean

Stars: Jody Dean, Allie Madison and Morgan Middlebrooke.

Don’t go on the Trail is Jody Deans new horror film, recently self-distributed via Sickafyed Films official website  and I am pleased to report it is an intense, bloody and sometimes disturbing slasher flick, worthy of your attention.

The plot involves a bloodied young woman, viciously attacking and killing scores of strangers as they go about their day on the titular trail all the while interspersed with footage of locals and park rangers recounting their experiences of a similar tragedy one year before.  It seems that a young lady, Hellady Marie James (Allie Madison) went missing on said trail a couple of years back and was never seen again. In 2011 however, 29 people mysteriously vanished and chilling reports from those working the trail suggest that a young, savage looking young lady, stalked the trail, killing anyone in sight. This horrible event left many people scared of the area and even more scared of a possible vengeful ghost or even living person, out for a sadistic revenge. It is now 2012 and history is very rapidly repeating itself……

The way the movie was structured worked wonders for the plot. It could have just been a run of the mill slasher with a crazed young girl knocking people off left right and centre, but giving the film a timeline of events leading up to the core of the film really fleshes it out.  The interview footage also helps to add a really creepy layer to proceedings, creating a fictional myth to be very afraid of.

The film features some really good acting, particularly from its three main stars. Allie Madison does an amazing job as the ‘is she dead or alive’ killer Hellady, who shows zero mercy in her brutal killing spree. She also shows great range thanks to a disturbing flashback scene which depicts her character prior to the horrible events that caused her disappearance. In this scene, she appears like a kind and pure version of herself before becoming the hideous killer we see for most of the film. Although Helladys monologue in the film’s opening suggests that maybe she was never a good person…. But that could easily be the voice of her now fractured mind speaking….  Morgan Middlebrook and Jody Dean play two pals who end up on Helladys very wrong side and both give very good performances. I felt deeply for Morgan’s character towards the end and was really hoping he would escape Helladys wrath.

There are several unanswered questions coming out of this film. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing as I see scope for a continuation. One scene in particular almost suggests the possibility in going down a Friday the 13 franchise style route (I cannot comment further due to spoilers but you will know what I mean here when you see the film) and we also never find out exactly what Hellady is as there are events suggesting she is very much alive but then again other things occur which definitely appear to be supernatural in nature.  Also I was expecting to have some clarity as to the identity of the person responsible for Helladys original disappearance but this didn’t happen and I had already made up my mind as to who this was haha. Maybe there is a reason this was left unanswered or maybe Jody didn’t wish this to be a revelation full stop. That’s not a criticism at all but I felt it fair to point out these points to readers.

Please support indie film and go and grab a copy of the film, not only is it very reasonably priced, but you get a bonus movie (review HERE) along with the feature and Jody is a lovely guy who will ship out nice and fast. Don’t go on the Trail is a very well made, fantastically scored, creepy, not to mention mysterious good time. In this instance DO go on the trail.