Southbound is a 2015 horror anthology. I love horror anthology’s for example Trick R Trick but have had some bad experiences this October, for example ABCs of Death and Horror Hotel. Southbound is five connected stories (think pentagram) of people on a isolated stretch of highway in the desert. It starts with two men, covered in blood driving down the highway. They pull over to wash up but when they get back in the van, they can’t seem to get away from the gas station. They are also being stalked by strange creatures. They find themselves at a motel. I won’t go on and spoil the story but there is a rather gruesome death involved.
At the same motel, 3 girls are waking up with a hangover. They’re in a band and travelling to their next gig. When they get a flat tyre, a strange, old fashioned couple pick them up. Back at house, the girls eat with the family only Sadie seems worried and only she does not eat the meat. Her friends start to change and they start blaming her for their friend, Alex’s death. She wakes up to find the girls have crept out. When she follows them she finds them participating in a strange ritual with their hosts. She runs off to escape, being chased by her friends.
The next character, Lucas is on his phone, driving down the highway chatting to his wife. Distracted, he does not see Sadie trying to flag him down. He hits her. Sadie is badly hurt and Lucas calls 911. He’s advised to drive to the next town where there’s a hospital. Lucas follows directions but when he gets there he’s alone. The voices on the phone then start to direct him to carry out surgery on Sadie. It’s pretty bloody and gruesome.
Sandy walks away from the phone booth near the hospital. She goes to a bar for a drink. A man bursts in with a gun demanding to know where his sister is. The patrons of the bar are not human. He finally finds his sister but it’s not the welcome he expected.
A girl sees the mans sister walk away. She then joins her family. They’re celebrating her going to college. When they get home, they are subject to a home invasion.
The stories have a supernatural theme, very much like going to hell. There is the right amount of gore and storytelling. The stories solidly interlock with one another. It was a really enjoyable anthology and I’m surprised I haven’t come across this one before. This is a clever little movie with lots of hidden meanings. 8/10.
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