A firefighter driving a possessed van commits unspeakable acts in a small town.
Written and directed by Jorge Delarosa, this uber low budget film follows the story of a small town where a van induces people to violence. Yes, a van. The premise may seem silly, but the writing and direction take it seriously enough, but also not too seriously where it’s overdone, to make it an interesting and fun film to watch. The film overall is set-up with a radio host coming in throughout with some insight and the story developing around there, almost like an anthology but without the stories being separate bits that are vaguely connected. Instead, the bits are the different murders, or kills, set in the small town and revolving around the van.
The cast here is rather decent and take their work as seriously as needed. The radio host here is played by Meredith Hillard and she is fun here and steals the show. The rest of the cast, including Jorge Delarosa, Justin Cash, Marvin Conner, James L. Edwards, and Nathan Hine (to name a few), does well. In fact, everyone here is doing decent work, giving performances that elevate the budget well beyond what is expected. Their work is what super indie films can hope for from their cast. These folks help create a film that works by showing a belief in the characters and writing that helps sell the film to the audience.
The effects here are what should be noted next. The special effects are done without CGI, and they are quite strong for the budget range. Of course, there are a few bits that look their budget, but beyond those, the film really makes the most of Ron George and Travis Kendall’s talents here. The film also has some impressive fire sequences which were done with practical effects as well, a calculated risk here that pays off. The film overall looks much more expensive than its reported $5,000 budget and that is in large part because of the practical effects. Considering the super low budget, the fire scenes and other effects are quite impressive and really showcase what the effects team is capable of. It also outdoes a few much more expensive films that have come out recently with terrible CGI fire and cheap looking practical effects while boasting budgets 100 times and more above Hell Van.
Hell Van is a ride to say to the least and one that makes the most of its budget and practical effects. The cast works well here, the writing is good even with the insane bits here and there, giving the film something more than just a premise and a crew willing to do whatever is needed to get a film finished. Hell Van is a good, solid example of an ultra-indie film using its resources to their maximum and allowing the folks working on it to do what they need to do and create what the film needs. This is something to check out when in the right mood, a fun film with a few crazy set-ups, something to enjoy with friends on a Saturday night.