Munger Road (2011)

Boring, long, and too preachy.

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Some high school teenagers feel it would be a good idea to copy their favorite horror movies and film a documentary on a supposed sight of some superstition. The urban legend goes that a bus stalled on the tracks and was hit by an oncoming train; the legend further goes that if you stop your car on the tracks it will start to roll on its own. To add to the effect they plan to use baby-powder to see if there are any hand prints on their car.Naturally being a horror movie, this isn't going to go well. Their vehicle indeed does roll, and there are unexplained handprints on the vehicle. Police later explain the whole montage is meant to be a bunch of boyfriends scaring their girlfriends and capturing it on camera. Only things don't go as planned and they see something far worse on film – supposedly a killer is on the loose in the area; the teenagers' cellphones lose their signals, the time freezes and the car eventually stalls on its own; one friend goes off into the woods and they get a text message later that says 'run'.This movie is the perfect setup for taking all of the best things we've come to expect in horror movies and avoids cheap scare tactics. Everything from the poster to the theatrics in the movie involved keep up the pace from start to finish. This is a movie I recommend watching.Originally posted to Orion Age (http://www.orionphysics.com/?p=3724).

Man, I really wanted this one to pan out more. Shot on a shoestring budget with good scenery and okay to better than average acting, Munger Road tells two stories that intertwine in St. Charles, Illinois. The first being that a former serial killer is on the loose and the second being that a group of teenagers want to test the paranormal limits of an urban legend of an old road (Munger Road). They both happen on the same night! Gonna try my best not to give too much away on this one. Shot in and around the actual town of St. Charles, Illinois, there really is a "Munger Road" who happens to have an urban legend attached to it. Supposedly, a group of school kids were on a school bus on Munger Road and the bus stalled on the train tracks, forcing it to get hit by a train. If you kill your engine on Munger Road on the train tracks, the spirits of the children will move your car off the tracks (TONS of variations of this urban legend exist about Munger) I actually liked that this urban myth was built in to the story.This is the basis for the beginning of the movie as four teenagers set out to prove this urban legend true. At the same time, the town law enforcement finds out about an escaped former serial killer that killed in that area. It is the weekend of a HUGE festival that will have an additional 6,000 people in the town. Will the killer return to St. Charles?? I loved the premise. Every town has that one haunted place or road that EVERYONE knows about.Starts slow, builds gradually, but has things that make little to no sense happen in the movie (with no explanation) and then there is the ending. Trust me when I tell you that you will either LOVE or HATE the ending. Their is no middle ground. Leaves you wanting more or completely fed up.No gore, no nudity, little violence and lots of tension make this film go. (NOTE: IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A STRONG IMAGINATION OR NEED MOVIES SPOON-FED TO YOU, THIS MOVIE IS NOT FOR YOU.) I liked that they tried to make a modern day Hitchcock-meets-Halloweeen style film. The only problem(s) with the film are: A lack of a good explanation about 11:14 p.m. (watch it and see), The idea of the cops splitting up, and finally the ending. Had they have shown the footage...it may have been a 6 or higher. Too many loose ends can only get you so far.4. 75 stars out of 10 (rounds up to 5) If you are a fan of slower moving genres with "shot video" added (think Blair Witch meets Halloween with Hitchcock style), check this out.If you need gore, violence or have little to no patience...pass on it.

I don't know the director. I'm not related to a cast member. I'm not starstruck after seeing this at some frightfest in some collegetown festival.This is a genuinely, edge of seat, peek beyond the pillow 100% ghost story with suspense, jumps, leaps and "DID YOU SEE THAT????" moments.I'm honestly surprised anyone could mention the budget, I was more worried about what was in the shadows.....If the independent film industry can deliver popcorn feightfests this effectively without needing to rope in Katy Perry to play the damasel in distress, then we can rest assured, as the viewing public, that we're in for some fun !

I had met the director, Nick Smith, when he was a student at Columbia College. When I went to an early screening of this movie, what I was expecting to see was a "student film". But from the opening frame this film was an incredible surprise. Suspenseful! Great scares! Fabulous performances! Creepy visuals! Wonderfully shot! All in all, an amazingly professional first-time film. I was surprised that Roger Ebert chose to review this film but not surprised that he gave it a rave three-star review (out of four). If this is what Smith can deliver his first time out, I can't wait to see his next film. This film is worth seeing! Maybe even more than once!