Highway to Hell (1991)


REVIEWER RATING: 
7/10


Highway to Hell has become quite a little cult film over the years due to its crazy characters and cameos from some familiar faces. I remember watching the movie for the first time on VHS growing up and really enjoying it. It's definitely not your standard horror film, especially in the decade in came out from.  
 
Charlie (Chad Lowe) and Rachel (Kristy Swanson) are a young couple headin' to Vegas to elope, but they quickly learn that taking the backroads to avoid the police isn't always the smartest idea, especially when the roads lead to... Hell!!! It turns out that a man known as "Hell Cop" sits and waits for speeding cars that may contain any attractive virginal female passengers, so he can kidnap and bring them back to Hell. 

After Rachel is taken away, Charlie heads back to a secluded gas station, where he talks to an old man who knows a little too much about Hell Cop and the mysterious hidden highway that leads to Hell. Armed with a mystical shotgun, a modded antique vehicle and his trusty mutt, Charlie sets off to save his woman. While in Hell he encounters various strange characters and passes through odd locations, hoping to finally catch up to Hell Cop before he takes the girl to a place called "Hell City" to meet the big man himself.

The movie is also a comedy, so we get a lot of ironic gags and silly characters. We've also got cameos from Ben Stiller and his dad, as well as one from comedian Gilbert Gottfried as a ranting Hitler (who was his usual annoying self). The movie is unique in many aspects, and even had a decent-sized budget that shows in certain scenes that involve large set designs and practical effects. A fairly unknown horror flick with an above-average budget? Very rare! Sadly, the film doesn't have much as far as blood or gore goes, which would've definitely made it an instant classic, like early Peter Jackson and Sam Raimi.

Of course the movie has its share of faults -- the situations Charlie would find himself in never seemed to be as dire as one would expect from a place like Hell; in fact, he seemed to breeze through the place kind of easily. Also the twist towards the end and climax itself was a little weak, but these are to be expected from a genre film, especially one that never takes itself seriously like this one. In the end this is just a generally fun watch, whether you're looking for horror, fantasy, comedy, or action, the movie has it all.

Highway to Hell is a fun hour-and-a-half ride of strange characters, silly gags, car chases, and interesting locations. The flick kicks into gear pretty quick and keeps at that pace until the credits roll. Worth a check.
OVERALL: 
Highway to Hell is a fun hour-and-a-half ride of strange characters, silly gags, car chases, and interesting locations. The flick kicks into gear pretty quick and keeps at that pace until the credits roll. Worth a check.


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