Black Cab is a good old fashioned ghost story. Anne (Synnove Karlsen, Last Night in Soho) and Patrick (Luke Norris, The Weekend Away) have just announced their engagement. What should be a happy moment is filled with tension as the two hail a cab. The already terse ride takes an even more frightening turn when they quickly learn their seemingly friendly driver (Nick Frost, Shaun of the Dead) takes them to a supposedly haunted road. But what does he have planned?
The opening hints at what is to come. The night is dark and stormy as a car drives down a winding road. A strange figure is arched in a strange pose before the first of many jump scares occurs. Black Cab is not going to be just another thriller or horror movie; it looks like it is going to be the type of scary story that is told around campfires. (Which Frost’s character literally does later in the movie – just without the campfire.)
While Black Cab does have a tendency to rely a little too much on jump scares, the imagery is consistently fantastic. This includes a ghost that is one of the creepiest seen in quite a while. Transparent and almost impossible to actually see, the apparition is a throwback not seen often in modern film. When the ghost is more clear to the eye, it is frightening. There is also the smart use of shadows and color to help create a suspenseful atmosphere.
Most of the film is spent with Karlsen and Frost in the confines of the titular vehicle. A strong argument can be made that the characters are secondary to the story being told. That being said, Frost shows off his already proven comedic talents all while playing against the type. Though it may seem like Karlsen does not have much to do, she does an excellent job of helping to get the mood across.
Black Cab does lose some momentum towards the end. The plot includes a number of unnecessary twists and explanations. The pace also moves a lot quicker. They end up being more confusing than anything else. They also take away from what is a very well done ghost story.
Black Cab comes to Shudder November 8.
