Hell Van

Hell Van
Starring Jorge Delarosa, Marvin Conner, Justin Cash, Meredith Hillard
Directed by Jorge Delarosa

Horror has always been my favorite genre of movies because the sky's the limit when it comes to creativity. You have an idea of having a woman's privates eating men? You get "Teeth." You have a concept of a zombie apocalypse seen through the eyes of zombies, you get "Aaah! Zombies!" A reclining chair that becomes enchanted by a girl and commits murderous acts of passion? "Killer Sofa!" There's no idea that's too outlandish for the horror genre, and as long as you have passion, heart, and drive (as well as the technical aspects like money, actors, sets, props, costumes, etc.), you can make your dream come true. "Hell Van" is one such film, a small independent feature that was completely sourced by the film's director, writer, co-producer and star Jorge Delarosa. Is it going to be a polished horror blockbuster done by a soul-less multi-billion dollar corporation? Nope, and that's the magic of it. You can sense the blood, sweat, tears and joy in every frame produced by a group of people wholly dedicated and devoted to their craft, resulting in a fun under-ninety-minute film that crafts a story that sometimes drifts off but overall stays in the lines of the road on its way down the highway to hell.

In the small town of Midway, Texas, a firefighter sets fire to churches, but one church he burns down has children inside who are enjoying a lockdown and they all die. The police discover the culprit but before they could apprehend him, he kills himself in his red van after proclaiming "hail Satan." Thinking the threat is gone, the town goes back to its normal activities unaware that the van itself is possessed by the devil and sets out on a bloody rampage through the streets of the town, either killing anyone it comes across or causing them to do unspeakable acts of violence to themselves or others. It's up to the town's Sheriff (Jorge Delarosa) to put a stop to the murder spree before there'll be no one left in the small town alive.

As I said earlier I can appreciate horror for what it does, and I'm usually not too critical on its story as long as the heart is behind it - if it's a cheap wannabe cash cow then all bets are off, but that's not the case here. The story is simple enough: a van is inhabited by the devil and goes on a supernatural killing spree, but the peripheral characters are what makes it something more. While pretty much all the actors are newbies, they still perform admirably. If you don't expect Brad Pitt or Meryl Streep-level performances you'll be entertained by the story being told.

The low budget feel adds to the aesthetic of the movie, as Jorge Delarosa relied on his team of practical effects artists to bring the terror to vivid life, and he does so with a masterful stroke akin to a young Cronenberg with a very limited budget. The gore is amped up and unique, such as when a guy literally pulls his eyes out of his own sockets in a very believable and gruesome fashion, or the after-effects of a man who shoots himself in the face. The practicality really drives the violence home in a way that CGI can never accomplish no matter how polished it is, which also adds to the intentional campiness of the film. They didn't do an inch of CGI which is very appreciated for someone like myself who values practical effects over CGI, including an intense shot of a cop car flying off a cliff and catching fire - real fire!

The cinematography is also exceptional for a low-budget horror. I was expecting shaky camerawork, being shot in a grainy feel of a poor quality camera, and subpar scenery shots: and I was wrong on all counts. The camera is static and unchanging, filmed with a high quality feel, and the scenery is beautiful and shot in a very naturalistic way. Although taking place in Texas, it was actually shot near where I live in northeast Ohio, and they make full effect of the beautiful fall foliage intersected by the blood and guts.

One of the small issues with the film lies with the side stories that occur before the bloody festivities kick off, but even then it's to establish the characters as more than just one-note victims - although some scenes (like an escaped convict) really doesn't add up to the totality of the film, even those moments have rewarding payoffs in the end. Also, as noted earlier, the performers are mostly new to acting and it shows in some of the more emotional moments of the film losing their luster with how the lines were delivered - but ultimately this isn't some high concept drama: it's a freaking devil van killing people, and to that end it delivers in spades.

While it's not going to win any awards or be on any critics' top ten lists, "Hell Van" is one hell of a good time, filled with over-the-top practical effects that drive home the terror - as well as the dark humor - the film conveys.


The Score: C+