ENDANGERED – Review

There have been many suspense films focusing on a few people through one long night of unexpected peril. ENDANGERED may rank among the better ones, thanks to clever scripting by Adam Armstrong and Marcus Devivo (in the feature-length film debut for both), and flawless casting. Lizzie Zerebko plays Allison, an architect who can’t find a job, and resorts to driving for a ride-share service to keep food on the table and a roof overhead. We’re immediately in her corner, and the more we learn about why she can’t get hired within her profession, the more we want her to be safe that evening, and successful in her proper career thereafter.

On the night in question, she picks up a passenger (Michael Olavson) who isn’t the service’s registered client that called for a car. He explains that the guy is a friend who booked it for him. Though Allison is unable to confirm his sketchy account, she reluctantly accepts the fare. Off they go through what seems an endless drive around their city, chatting a bit along the way, never quite relieving Allison of her doubts about his story. At a stop for gas, she opens his bag and finds things that indicate criminal activity may have been afoot.

That covers the first 20 minutes, or so. As for the rest, the less I write, the better for your viewing, since the plot delivers more moments of suspense and twists than most of the other tales springing from such a premise. For his first feature-length directing gig, Drew Walkup shows an exceptional sense of visuals and pacing, maintaining the tension through several incidents – including a couple of unlikely encounters – and never letting the film feel too claustrophobic. The latter is a serious risk for movies with nearly all of their running time transpiring in a single space.

Zerebko is attractive in a wholesome way that makes her seem vulnerable, lacking the street-smarts to do this job safely, especially late at night with so few people around. Olavson conveys his character’s ambiguity to keep Allison and the audience wondering just how good or dangerous he is. It all adds up to a worthy choice when you’re seeking this sort of tale. Both of the young lead actors’ resumes list TV and shorts leading up to this theatrical opportunity. They are clearly ready to keep going on the big screen. Considering the limited collective experience among the principals, there’s a lot of promising talent on both sides of the camera.

Though unrated at the time of this review, I’d place its violence level between a strong PG-13 and a modest R.

ENDANGERED (alternatively titled FOX HUNT DRIVE) is available via video-on-demand beginning Friday, July 22.

RATING: 2.5 out of 4 stars