There’s a highway I frequent when I go to my mom’s house for the holidays with no speed limit sign for miles, which empowers people around me to drive like maniacs on my tail before they simply drive into oncoming traffic to get around me. This is the brand of anxiety The Fearway hopes to weaponize and even if it somewhat fails to do so, at least it succeeds elsewhere.

Directed by Robert Gajic and written by Noah Bessey, The Fearway is the tale of Sarah (Shannon Dalonzo) and Michael (Justin Gordon), a couple who finds themselves chased by a mysterious entity on the way to visit Sarah’s family.

The quality of the acting varies and there are lesser performances scattered throughout, but it’s worth noting those are attributed to smaller roles. My favorite performance is that of Simon Phillips. Through his character, known only as The Manager, he juggles disparity, caution, and charisma with aplomb. The lead actors’ performances are good in a vacuum, but when they have to play off one another there is a distracting lack of chemistry. That wouldn’t usually be too big of an issue for a horror film, but the lacking connection prevents The Fearway from accomplishing a few of its goals. The characters and relationships are better realized than I expected them to be at the start, but everyone isn’t as fleshed out as they could be. I found the characters’ dialogue in the film to be solid, though.

It’s very short with pretty good pacing, but The Fearway takes too long to explain bits of exposition that don’t serve the story or characters when other characters could have benefited from the time wasted. It isn’t very thrilling, either, as the bulk of the antagonist’s threat is implied and the fact he has no personality definitely limits his ability to find other avenues to present himself as a threat. It also makes excellent use of its few precious settings, projecting an environment between a modern western and a southern gothic. There’s very little gore and not much suspense, but it makes up for the lack of suspense with ample mystery.  As it delves into a compelling mystery, which is its greatest strength, it reveals a unique mythology that I found quite satisfying. The CGI is always noticeable but never distracting because it’s used for very small effects. The practical effects vary in quality, though, with the blood a sometimes unconvincing pink color, but it’s a rarely used element. The antagonist looks great and the makeup is on point for every character from beginning to end.

The Fearway ambitiously wants to be a tale of horror, mystery, romance, and redemption, but it doesn’t allow many of these elements to breathe. Its strengths and weaknesses fight each other, right up to what’s guaranteed to be a divisive wrap up, but I do think it’s greater than the sum of its parts. The story is good; I only wish it was brought to life a little more effectively.

6 out of 10