DEAD STOP (2011)

Streaming on Tubi!
Directed by Jonas Stolpe.
Written by Josh Jacobs.
Check out the trailer here!!

DEAD STOP is about a group of kids traveling across a desert when their van dies on them. Soon they find themselves trapped, but just when they think matters can’t get any worse, a hairy creature that looks to be either a dogman or a Sasquatch is stalking and massacring them as they leave the vehicle.

Here’s a solid little film that never really identifies itself as whether it’s a Bigfoot movie or not. Director Jonas Stolpe takes his time at the beginning establishing these characters before shredding them to pieces when they get to the van. This film makes good use of the WOLFEN-style POV shots of the monster bounding after them in the arid landscape.

The filmmakers have a good eye for locale—really soaking in the desert and highlighting how beautiful and dangerous an environment it can be. Most of the shots of the monster are quick, obscured, or in shadow—suggesting terror without really showing much of the creature. Most likely this is because the creature costume didn’t really look all that good. But I’d rather have a movie not show the monster and be successful at building tension and scares than a final scene of a guy in a storebought monkey suit. Some won’t like the fact that a clear shot of the creature never shows up, but DEAD STOP is full of subtle terrors and has an ending I found to be both haunting and satisfying.

I’m going to give DEAD STOP 2 feets and five toes.

This is a solid little film that delivers some strong characterization and acting by a cast of unknowns, has a nice sense of suspense, and never exceeds its budget limitations yet delivers a compelling story. It knows what it is and never tries to be anything more than that. And I respect that. DEAD STOP is a testament to those who take the “less is more” route in filmmaking while managing to deliver a powerful movie about a mysterious monster roaming around in the dark that can pounce at any time.