Film Review - The Fearway (2023)

A magical romantic aura surrounding head over heels in love couple is combusted on a endless highway to hell loop they find themselves in whilst on a road trip to nowhere. Dating since high school with an upcoming wedding on the agenda, their singing together to radio tunes in harmony is about to be disrupted.

Sarah (Shannon Delonzo) and Michael (Justin Gordon) have zero phone reception in the middle of nowhere, joshua trees across the landscape and the wide open American road ahead, when all of a sudden, bang! An uncharacteristic strange sheet of ice (in the desert) on the road creates a diversion and eventual accident.

The shaken pair have also been dealing with a black muscle car taunting them so it’s a quick exit to the Last Chance Diner, a near by solitary rest stop to collect their thoughts and grab a bite.

Weirdness, not unlike Twin Peaks kicks in, odd characters set the scene of what is to follow, an unusual somewhat laughable although still captivating revelations of what is really going on and why this pair have been ‘chosen’.

The most consistent element is acting by raucous Delonzo leading the way as conflicted Sarah, making decisions on the run from an unknown entity, an ingloriously fanged, growling fast car driver.

A frustrating Justin Gordon doesn’t fare as well, from saying ‘babe’ excessively to waving his arms around in place of emoting, he’s almost trying too hard to act. Minor player, Jessica Gray as the waitress, commands her every scene.

Micro-budget for this indie is apparent, well done on still switching lanes keeping plot innovations mysterious enough to hold attention until an ill-advised, easily forecasted finale.