Foreverisacastironmess123 Review of Haunted Traxx

Haunted Traxx (2009)

"Why!? I only wanted to know the truth!" An effectively creepy farm country mystery horror that is undeservedly forgotten.

[8/10 · 13 May 2015]

I've been watching these independently made horror films for years now, and I very much prefer and find them a much more reliably enjoyable alternative to the 'official' trash that Hollywood shoves down the collective throat every year, like those stupid Paranormal Activity movies that just go for the jump scare and have virtually nothing else about them. Anyway while this is an independent horror flick that I wouldn't go so far as to call 'deep', there's certainly a bit more to it than meets the eye. To be sure it is very rough around the edges, and while it tries hard to tell a good story, it all soon just comes across as a little muddled and on the dumb side. It has good potential but is filled with unanswered questions, but regardless I personally still really enjoy the concept of it a lot, and how it somewhat delves into the charming oddness of small country towns and plays upon eerie themes of local legends. It is engaging and it held my interest, and in terms of atmosphere it positively excels. In fact its atmosphere strongly reminded me of a good Stephen King story, in that it's set in a close- knit rural town and there are several minor characters that come and go who together add a lot to the overall richness of the narrative. I love all the scenes where the main character learns bits and pieces of the town's dark and haunting history, and of why Joe the old hermit farmer turned homicidal from folks around the town. I especially liked the beyond-eccentric town historian and the crazy redneck sheriff from Mars who liked to threaten people with his pistol for information, as well as seemingly being completely unable to utter a single sentence that did not contain the F-word! It's plot is so irritatingly vague and tantalising, and it feels like they're deliberately stringing out the mystery for as long as they possibly can because they're well aware that they have no real answers to give at the end, and it only gets weirder the longer it drags on and it does get a little repetitive in its idea. I think it could have done with trimming some of the fat from the scenes that wear on a mite too long so it wouldn't have felt so damn long in the tooth while you're watching it. Erica Leerhson carries the film valiantly and you feel her character's paranoia and fear as she spirals deeper into the foreboding mystery of why her brother was murdered as well as the disused railway tracks where people disappear without a trace. The cinematography was very well done, with many cold and stark shots of beautiful open country lanes and woodland. It has a high quality crisp picture for a film of this budget. I admit the ending leaves a lot to be desired. After everything "Michelle" goes through in her search for answers she just turns around and walks right into Lonely Joe's scythe and becomes another one of his victims. She just winds up a part of the cursed haunted landscape, trapped with all the other spirits, unable to escape, ever... And the way it's done just leaves you wondering what the hell's going on as it flashes from her being impaled to her being interrogated by the police, back to her as a ghost looking down on her own dead body and then inexplicably shooting in the back the officer that discovers her corpse, and then it ends. The film seems to get so confused and plain tired with itself by that point, as if they didn't know how to end their own movie except that they wanted it over fast! It is not even close to a satisfying conclusion to what I thought was a highly intriguing ghost story, but sometimes the destination is not as important as the journey, and this still to me is a quaintly good and effective picture. There ain't much genuine meat on the bone, but there's plenty of tasty nibbles! I'm sure most will have found it poor and it probably does take an acquired taste and a lot of patience to really like a film like this, but I do and I suggest that you give it a chance should you ever come across it. It does have its good qualities, it is haunting and chilling and is worth a shot. You may be pleasantly surprised.