lost-in-limbo Around this period there were a slew of serial killer pictures about ('The Bone Collector', 'The Watcher'), however this little independent production added it's own distinctive spin to the conventions and situation involving a separate group of strangers travelling the lonely back-roads one night listening to the same radio station as a serial killer is on the loose and the FBI are on the killer's bloody trail. Where this one really works is that in the interactions and social insight between the characters of the piece. It's almost a spiritual journey involving life, death and fate on the open desert road and J.S. Cardone's intelligently complete screenplay complements it. Cardone who's also behind the director's chair makes the film look sleek with it low-scale origins and intertwines tautly layered tension from its slow-going progression. The laid-back style works, and this lets the verbose script open up with offbeat humour and vivid realisations as everything seems to fall by chance and link up by the end with essentially the music station being the wider voice. The performances create a genuine quality of people trying to find their feet and serial killer aspect seems like a background tool. As he is hard-done by in the character study, because there was a lot more to milk out of it than what we actually received. The premise's concept reminded me of another feature starring Danny Glover, Pam Grier and Michelle Rodriguez; '3 A.M. (2001)'. Making it very watchable is an experienced and quite likable cast featuring Robert Forster (in a heartfelt turn), Kevin Pollack, Penelope Ann Miller (both were terrific and the chemistry rolled off very well), Sherilyn Fenn, Taj Mahal (is memorable as the ragged DJ), Meat Loaf, Kateri Walker and David Paymer (is suitably placid and unnerving in a bloodstained killer role). The violence of certain scenes has a nasty edge and killer from the get-go is obviously suggested. The arousing soundtrack is mainly made up of rollicking country tunes and folksy blues that are being beamed from the radio speakers. The film's conclusion with the disc jockey's final words could have been easily discarded and better off.

dbdumonteil There's a killer on the road.But the movie would have been much better ,if this character had been ruled out.Because the killer who kills in the name of Jesus has become a cliché.Ditto for the "radio vérité".What remains is good indeed:best performance is given by Robert Forster who portrays a trucker with a golden heart;more than his sympathy for the young Indian ,it's his scene with the dog that will move you:as simple as it can be ,it goes straight to the heart.The clown and his wife are also endearing characters ,with their clumsiness.The writers have succeeded in giving their men and women some substance,which is quite a feat for a relatively short movie .And there are a lot of "stories" in the story ,like the tale of the elephant.The Indian girl,her grandma,the trucker,the two sisters and the circus people tell us a lot about us,and it becomes a good "road movie by night".But the thriller side,the killer,it was not so necessary ,and the last scene is too long and comes as an anticlimax.Better than its current low rating anyway

dan-449 We find ourselves just outside the small town of Ozona, What now?Several characters asking the same question, in a film written and directed by J.S. Cardone. A great collection of notable actors and actresses wonderfully holding together a script that lacked not in originality but mostly in thought.Where did they go wrong?Printing it on celluloid is one answer.But beyond that, there were several wonderfully written characters that on their own, could have held up perfectly in other films. It was as if the writer, had ideas for several films and threw them into a feature length blender named Ozona. If the writer had maintained the characters separately there may have been some other notable features available rather than this. Now we are sitting at home watching a film that should be instead, the film school blueprint to Hollywood cliches. I do give the actors or actresses that were in this film the chance to remove it from their resume, and continue on with their lives in hopes of rebuilding their careers. In my personal advice, save your money, rent... a good film... Any other video on the shelf will do, please just avoid this one.

darkstrangers You just can't judge a book by its cover, ya'know? That nice, harmless looking geek stranded on the side of the road with a broken-down car could very well be a raving, ax murderer.This is a nicely done film dealing with several different people that are on a collision course outside of the little western town of Ozona. One is a homicidal lunatic and the rest are relatively innocent folks who may or may not have the misfortune of running into him.Meatloaf gives a nice performance as the manager of a radio station that realizes the nut calling in on the phone is the killer. Robert Forster is excellent as a sweet, but lonely truck driver.Casting David Paymer as the murderer was a stroke of genius, reminding one that people are not always as they seem. Making someone so harmless looking into a cold-blooded killer is exactly what makes him so frightening. Nice work all-around. A very good choice for a stay-at-home-night date.