The plot is simple. Three men and three women are sharing a ride when the tire on their SUV blows out. Stranded without a reliable cell phone signal, they plan to change the tire and drive to the next town.
While changing the tire, a bullet falls out and the tension ramps up because unknown to them a mysterious sniper is nestled in a nearby tree. He starts picking off the travelers one by one.
Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura maintains the intensity throughout the 90-minute runtime by never revealing the sniper except in camouflage.
The film focuses on the survivors of the sniper’s first barrage as they try to figure out how to escape the deadly accurate bullets. The kills are bloody and brutal, but the violence is not over the top.
The cast of virtually unknown actors does a serviceable job of selling the story, and a couple of scenes resonate emotionally before the chaotic climax.
I like DOWNRANGE, and I think fans of roadside romps like THE HITCHER, JOY RIDE, REST STOP, and WRECKER will enjoy it, too.
Check out the trailer on YouTube here.
RATING: ♥ ♥ ½ (out of 4)
LIONEL RAY GREEN 