Desert Road is a South by Southwest World Premiere that deals with a situation most people have been through. Who has not been driving alone on a deserted road and thought to themselves, “haven’t I been here already?” Writer-director Shannon Triplett’s feature debut takes things one step further, however. Kristine Froseth (The Assistant) plays a woman who crashes her car. When she goes down the road to ask for help, she keeps ending up back at the site of the crash.
Though it takes a familiar premise, the film has very few tropes. Triplett places more focus on putting the audience in the California desert with the Woman. The Mojave is already a stark and striking location, and Desert Road takes advantage of the setting, The camerawork accentuates the loneliness – and in turn the desperation and frustration. It is unforgiving and frightening and adds an element of empathy.
The production is important to Desert Road, but character and story are not ignored. Froseth is one of the most interesting heroines seen in genre cinema in some time. There is a grounded quality to her that makes her relatable. She is determined and smart, but not in the exaggerated sense often seen in these types of movies. This adds to the relatability.
It is the revelations that will determine how much a person ends up enjoying the experience. By nature, Desert Road is a repetitive watch. As usual, discoveries made during the film decide whether it is worth the time spent. Its strong cast and gripping storytelling make this an enjoyable watch.
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