Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Black Cab’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Nick Frost as Ian in Bruce Goodison’s BLACK CAB. (Photo Courtesy of Vishal Sharma/Shudder. A Shudder Release.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Black Cab’.
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One particular concern that arises when a genre soars to new heights popularity wise, is that it sometimes forgets its roots. For instance, science fiction became focused on action and spectacle over analysis when it hit the big time and crime stories also leaned hard into a new dynamic. Wherein gritty stories, technology, grizzled detectives, and intelligent super villains ruled the day, and this all happens for one simple reason. In that, those elements help bring those genres to a new standing, so why not stick with what works and ride the positive waves? But fans do take concern with it because they don’t want those genres to lose sight of what made them so magical. But what’s fascinating about this concern, is that it doesn’t extend to horror.

Of course, one would think that it would. After all, horror from being a niche outlier to a mega genre. Where the living dead have dominated the airwaves and where people are flocking to theaters to enjoy stories that are deep and brooding and powerful. So, why aren’t more people crying foul and citing worries that the genre will become more cerebral and leave scares behind? Because it doesn’t forget its roots and it knows that sometimes… fans aren’t interesting in seeing a story that explores grief or our trauma. They just want to plunge into a corner of a world that is filled with bad vibes and scary things and ugly people and for proof that it maintains such films, look no further than the latest release on Shudder, Black Cab.

For this particular film plunges us into a tough time for a woman named Anne. For she’s dealing with some hard personal changes in her life, one of which remains a secret while the other, is being celebrated by everyone but her. For she’s said yes to marrying Patrick. Her garbage boyfriend, now fiancé, and well… Anne is clearly at a crossroads here and eager to figure out what comes next. But before she can do that, a voyage home from a night out, makes everything outside of survival unimportant. For her and Patrick’s cab driver, a fellow named Ian, is nothing short of a monster. One that is eager to capture them both and drag them out to the middle of nowhere… to fulfill the wishes of a sinister being that may or may not be real.

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Which is straight up, old school horror for certain. Because there are no lessons to be found here about what’s right and what’s wrong, and no discussions regarding the human condition. This is just, a sour story about people caught up in bad situations across the board and that makes… for a genuinely unsettling story. One that really does just showcase how being in the wrong place at the wrong time can be a terrible thing, with a depressing chaser regarding how we tolerate mediocrity and suffer greatly for it, and the end result… is a hideous road trip. One that becomes more terrifying and uncomfortable by the minute, as Ian becomes more unhinged and leans harder into his belief that there is a spirit he must serve or face pain through punishment.
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A move that adds to the chaotic nature of the feature, since we never really know if that spirit exists or not, or if we are at the whims of a broken man that has simply snapped and needs justification to harm others, and that setup leads to a supremely scary feature. One grounded in the power of our cruelty and our fears of the unknown and of people. Since this is a worst-case scenario moment/nightmare/worry for so many of us. But of course, in order to properly sell this kind of story and these kinds of scares, you need a magnificent actor to pull it off and this film has that in genre legend Nick Frost. Who has showcased over his illustrious career that he can play the straight man, and he can play the loose cannon, and he is all of those things in this feature in a manner that is powerfully convincing and chilling.

All of which brings forth, just a dynamic and engaging horror film. One that defies convention and leaves the norms behind to scare the living hell out of us, and it truly does accomplish its mission. Courtesy of a series of downer moments and genuine cruelty from this broken man and setting the story in a cab and in the isolated countryside, adds to the tension and gives it a claustrophobic feel. Which makes one feel even more uncomfortable and plunges us into the middle, of a horror film that understands the true core of the genre. Which also makes this, an absolute must-see, because it really is an oasis of terror in a sea of elevated scares and a truly refreshing feature. Courtesy of its unique story, one that reminds us… that evil just exists in the world and strikes when it feels the time is right.

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