‘Black Cab’ Review – A Haunted Cab Ride Brings Chills And Thrills

It is a dark and stormy night—the perfect setting for a scary movie. On this dark and rainy night, we find a couple, Anne (Synnøve Karlsen) and Patrick (Luke Norris). Both are out for a night of celebration and revelry, but an ominous presence is in the air. Tensions between the two create the perfect ground for a night of terror. Upon being picked up by a cabbie, this couple finds themselves trapped in the back of a cab heading towards a haunted road, which is likely their destiny. Black Cab is a story that threads the needle between natural and supernatural, creating a menacing story that traps its audience like the couple locked in the back of the evil cab.

Some of the best horror films feature complex characters who are already in trouble. In Annie and Patrick, we find a couple on the outs. They barely speak to one another and cannot be in the same room. There are clear cracks in the relationship, and unexpected developments complicate their already tenuous situation. This puts them on fertile ground to be prayed on by a waiting monster.

The relationship woes of Anne and Patrick are a driving force in the film’s narrative. Ultimately, it creates the perfect setup for their night of unholy terror. Despite their issues, this drama makes their characters relatable and their peril more natural, particularly when they find themselves pitted together as they try to survive the night.

Enter the mysterious driver of a black cab (Nick Frost). Anne and Patrick hail him for a ride, and he initially proves to be a chatty driver. Frost is brilliant at creating a jovial, almost lovable uncle who is warm to the character. He lures in our couple and the audience with charm and humor. However, he can flip the switch without breaking a sweat or twitching the eye. As a result, he is terrifying. He opines a ghoulish philosophy, targeting Anne and Patrick as a grim reaper wannabe. He subjects us and them to terror and whispers of supernatural presence.  

The Cab Driver from Hell, both figuratively and perhaps literally, locks Anne and Patrick in with the intent of driving them towards a haunted road—a road he describes as ‘the most haunted road in England.’ The film uses England as its setting. The ominous presence of woods and the breadth of fog create a dark sensation, drawing comparisons in a favorable way to films like The Fog.

The Black Cab is a story that unveils itself in critical ways. It is both a psychological tale and a straightforward ghost story. The elements may not work for everyone, as the presence of the cab driver is enough of a threat that he could have justified the entire movie’s narrative. However, what the film succeeds in most is the blending of the subgenres. We have been treated to other ghost stories, and the film makes its play to provide us with something both familiar and new.

The spectral elements in the film are undoubtedly familiar. The ghost (Tilly Woodward) is ghastly and sure to leave an impression. However, The Cab Driver is the real scene stealer in this film. Mystery shrouds his presence in the film. The movie leaves us wondering if he is a man who has snapped or if an evil marching order guides him. Unsettling to the core, his mission seems tied to the couple, especially Anne. 

The mystery element regarding the cab driver is much of what makes the film engaging. He is a malignant force who terrorizes our couple, particularly Anne. Here, the film is the strongest as it becomes a demonic game of cat and mouse. Some audiences may groan at the film’s ultimate conclusion, but the ending feels a tad undercooked. Still, for those missing the spooky days of Halloween and spooky season, Black Cab delivers more than enough fright and chills to keep diehards interested and pleased.

Black Cab will debut on Shudder on November 8, 2024.