Black Cab, which is Frost’s latest film with Shudder (alongside his previous works Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz and Hyperdrive) quickly turns away from what one would call a horror installment. It merges somewhere onto the highly trafficked super freeway of psychological thriller where the likes of Leave the World Behind, Knock at the Cabin, and the recent Cellar Door work in reverse by being lessive towards the content, and managing to do more by showing less.
Frost also makes an appearance in the film directed by Bruce Goodison (Our World War, Home Fires), while the script was composed by David Michael Emerson and additional work was done by Frost and Virginia Gilbert. The film adds Synnøve Karlsen in the cast (Last Night in Soho, Medici) who gives a tough and complex performance that is compelling. In this film, Luke Norris (The Weekend Away) also plays a role which is a reminder of the Ghost Story, the 1981 slow-burn phenomen revelation which features Fred Astaire and our internal anxiety being the scariest figure of them all.
The film follows frustrated Anne and Patrick (Karlsen and Norris), a couple who hailed a black taxi, and their driver (Frost) who talks so much he just won’t let them sulk quietly. The couple had an argument. In the ride with the rather unreliable Frost’s character, it becomes obvious quite quickly that they will not be taken to their residence. The plot features Nick Frost, as the versatile actor, comedian, and screenwriter that you might not be aware of, in a villain turn role where he gets to devour the props in every scene. Bizarre, but brilliant; it’s safe to say – Black Cab is an exhilarating experience.
The whole run of Black Cab, except for its last few seconds, is set during a single night and it happens to be a rather scary one. Anne and Patrick have just attended the function together and seem to be quite angry with one another. These two rarely talk to each other and one begins to question how they have been together for so long. In the second half of the film these few of the answers, which are offered via Flashback, provide us extra context even if we could easily subsitute this kind of couple from numerous recent suspence thrillers where the husband an abuser and the wife is a mess emotionally. That aside, Frost’s unpredictable cabby soon establishes him not as the cheery man we are introduced to, but as a dangerous specimen.
However, our cabbie also has his story and it is only at the end of almost seventy minutes that the viewer can understand it fully. Until then, relish the moment when Frost’s enraged cab driver beats up the rude Patrick and takes Anne hostage, stunning her initially and later trapping her in the back seat of a cab with dark windows that make it seem like there’s rain on the glass. With all the doors shut, there’s nowhere else to go but forward (a route which we find out might be ‘spooky’) and hot and then hysterical with the ceaselessness of outpouring loud mouth asks, in increasingly bizarre tones and with increasing vulgarity, about the husband and happiness of Anne.
What does this man want? Well, it has to be related to the terrifying ghost figure that’s sometimes seen on the ‘haunted’ road they are driving on. Seeing that familiar horrifying figure suddenly appear outdoors on the passenger side of the moving vehicle is enough to send Anne on a frenzy. But our cabbie had already arrived at that point long ago. Two questions arise: is there a connection between the cabbie and the ghost figure, and what in the world does this cab driver, or even the ‘ghost’, want from Anne?
It takes too long to happen, but when the haunted cab man who is driving around the haunted road in circles finally makes the U turn, all the ghosts present in the action open their mouths in rejoicing. It takes the film into a ridiculous final stretch. Cab driver is rather bitter as he has to do something that is apparently against his wishes as the idea is to abduct Anne. If someone or something is instructing him to do these barbaric things and antagonize our sweet Anne, he is left wondering what the end goal will be.
This is likely good news for Nick Frost’s fans. Frost, who is shooting for How to Train Your Dragon says he also penned and starred the thriller Get Away among other works is quite impressive. At times, one wonders how enjoyable it is for Frost to be person and character who is so exaggerated in every respect therms of displayed emotions and even in terms of diverse internal moods along with his unmistakable hipster glasses. For the first time in this movie, Frost manages to convince the audience that there was a good reason for the sleazy looking guy. This is not the final time we have been in some sort of an absurd end for an extended period of time in the horror thriller so just bear with it for some time more while the paper unfolds.
Quite clearly, Synnøve Karlsen gives a good account of herself when tormented as Anne in this case, the last of her illusions does not save her from the stark reality of being in a rotten marriage or use of her troubles as deadly leverage against her. There are some brilliant moments between Frost and Karlsen, in fact, and no doubt their most intense scenes were ‘choreographed’ because, people, it gets very nasty. The core line of anger, loss and futility turns out to be quite suitable for this narrative.
At the same time, the atmosphere is quite creepy as the script has aura of tweet and Howard Etherington or the director of photography makes everything scary and mysterious. You heard it here first – prepare for the final shot. It’ll leave you questioning whether the picture’s weird but enticing narrative could be enhanced with a sequel.
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