First off, I will say this: fans of true-crime will LOVE this movie. Love it.
With that out of the way:
There is an interesting fine line between true-crime/thrillers and horror. At the core of true crime is horror; the idea that someone can stalk you, hunt you, kill you, and in many cases make you disappear is utterly terrifying. Our fascination with those stories, and the people that peretrate them is because we wonder what it takes to make someone into that sort of monster. These tales allow us to also face the idea that the world isn’t as safe we as often hope it is in a way that still feels like we are in control.
We don’t want to think about how close we are to the precipice we all are, never quite appreciating the lesson in all of these stories – these are often people who seem normal, and who are among us every day. Which begs the question: what would we do if the unthinkable happened?
THE MAN IN THE WHITE VAN follows a teenage girl struggling to find her place in her family. Her sister is the favorite, her young brother is the baby of the family, and she is the blacksheep who exaggerates in the stories she tells to garner attention. When Annie notices a white van following her, her family doesn’t believe her, despite her insistence that she’s telling the truth. What none of them realizes though, is that within that van is a madman who has kidnapping and murdering young women in the area, and Annie is his next target.
With a great lead performance by Madison Wolfe, a really great direction job, and some wonderful music, MAN IN THE WHITE VAN is elevated beyond just being a nod to a true-crime legend, but a genuinely scary film. Director Skeels allows the film to breathe, building tension in the story and keeping the titular Man in that White Van as a mysterious, and dangerous figure. The ’70s atmosphere is wonderfully captured, and the music sets a really eerie tone throughout.
The acting in the film is very well done, though with the focus on the kids, the parents (Sean Astin and Ali Larter) aren’t given as much depth. There is some very good chemistry on display, and it really boosts the film.
The only thing that I felt was a bit much was that, being based on a real person some of the things he’s put through in the film reaches Michael Myers levels of superhumanity. If this was just a horror film, it wouldn’t matter, but since this is based on reality – though a fictionalized version of reality – some of the damage the killer takes pushes the bounds of reality a bit far.
This is a really good, really creepy movie. As things reach the climax I found myself wondering how things were going to play out, and talking to the television as tension ratched up – the joy of being home alone. Fans of thrillers and horror films alike will both like this solid movie, and be sure to stick around during the credits for everything.
The Man In The White Van will be available on DVD & Digital from 29th September
4 out of 5
The Spooky World of Chris Ringler 