Rest Stop: Don't Look Back (2008) (V)

Director:

Shawn Papazian

Writer:

John Shiban (writer)

Release Date:

11 February 2009 (Australia)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

The corporal Tom Hilts returns from overseas to his hometown Argyle, Texas, for a ten days leave with the intention to seek our his brother Jess...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Female Nudity | Blood | Stapler | Sex

Cast

Richard Tillman	...	Tom Hilts
Jessie Ward	...	Marilyn
Graham Norris	...	Jared
Joey Mendicino	...	Jesse
Julie Mond	...	Nicole
Brionne Davis	...	The Driver
Diane Salinger	...	The Mother (as Diane Louise Salinger)
Michael Childers	...	The Father
Gary Entin	...	Twin #1
Edmund Entin	...	Twin #2
Mikey Post	...	Scotty
Steve Railsback	...	The Owner
Michael Toland	...	Mr. Hilts
Kelly Albanese	...	Party Girl #1
Sharon Senina	...	Party Girl #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Adam Friedman	...	Additional Voice (voice)
Gina Fricchione	...	Family Friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Shawn Papazian

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Shiban		writer

Produced by
Aaron Billet	....	associate producer
Steve Ecclesine	....	producer
Tony Krantz	....	producer
Reece Pearson	....	associate producer
John Shiban	....	producer

Original Music by
Bear McCreary

Cinematography by
Jas. Shelton

Film Editing by
Richard Byard

Casting by
Patrick Baca
Robin Nassif

Production Design by
Frank Bollinger

Art Direction by
Russell M. Jaeger

Set Decoration by
Eden Barr

Costume Design by
Danielle Launzel

Makeup Department
Adam Brandy	....	makeup artist
R.J. McCasland	....	makeup artist
Krystal Melton	....	assistant makeup artist
Myke Michaels	....	makeup department head
Janette Nielsen	....	makeup artist
Abby Roll	....	key hair stylist
Richard Wetzel	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Lawreen E. Kayl	....	unit production manager
George Rizkallah	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Elion Olson	....	second assistant director
Paul Silver	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jonathan Buchanan	....	property master
Liza Chenault	....	set dresser
Philip Fitzpatrick	....	set dresser
Slade Hammer	....	leadman
Douglas R. Johnson	....	head painter
Sara Krueger	....	art department coordinator
Erin McKenna	....	painter
Ben Page	....	propmaker
Joseph Yuss Simon	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Joshua Adeniji	....	foley editor
Dhyana Carlton-Tims	....	dialogue & adr editor
John B. Cormier	....	foley artist
Klark Culp	....	utility sound person
Robert Dehn	....	assistant sound editor
Levent Erdogan	....	additional dialogue editor
Levent Erdogan	....	foley editor
J. Alex Faucheux	....	foley artist
Brent Findley	....	sound effects editor
Judah Getz	....	adr mixer
Dick Hansen	....	production sound mixer
Scott Hinkley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Kaleta	....	boom operator
Cody King	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kitting	....	additional re-recording mixer
Andrew Morgado	....	adr mixer

Special Effects by
Mark Weatherbe	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Peter Allendale	....	digital compositor: Comen VFX
Kenneth Armstrong	....	graphics designer: Comen VFX
Tim Carras	....	visual effects supervisor
Joshua D. Comen	....	visual effects producer
Sean Coonce	....	digital compositor: Comen VFX
Brandy Handelman	....	digital compositor: Comen VFX
Zachary Lo	....	digital compositor: Comen VFX
Holly Rayman	....	controller: Comen VFX

Stunts
Matthew R. Anderson	....	stunt coordinator
Robert Sean Burke	....	stunt double
Edward Conna	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Steve Rizzo	....	stunt double
Shaun Vickers	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Victor Avila	....	additional assistant camera
Tom Clancey	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Tom Clancey	....	director of photography: second unit
Brian D'Haem	....	lighting technician
Ardy Fatehi	....	rigging electrician
Patrick D. Fields	....	grip
Brandon Flohr	....	grip
Alex Gaynor	....	lighting technician (as Alex O. Gaynor)
Tom Howard	....	lighting technician
Keith A. Jones	....	first assistant camera
Michael Kleiman	....	second assistant camera
Eric Leong	....	grip
Robyn Link	....	second assistant camera
Steven A. Lundgren	....	gaffer
Ilja Magura	....	lighting technician
Steve Mulcahey	....	key grip
Kate Nixa	....	loader
Wally Rowell	....	rigging gaffer
Timothy Robert Ryan	....	lighting technician
David Sheetz	....	electrician
Christopher Taylor	....	head camera operator
Chris Tonkovich	....	best boy electric

Casting Department
Carla Lewis	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rochelle Best	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Randy Beveridge	....	senior colorist (2008)
Emily Koonse	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Romeo Antonio	....	music supervisor
Steve Kaplan	....	scoring engineer
Jeremy Levy	....	orchestrator
Brandon Roberts	....	orchestrator
Aaron Roethe	....	composer: additional music
Aaron Roethe	....	scoring coordinator
Jonathan Snipes	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car

Other crew
Tansey Allen	....	key base production assistant
Tom Ara	....	legal counsel
Thatiana Viana Cruz	....	office production assistant
Marc Garcia	....	set medic
Josh Holden Hume	....	key set production assistant
Carlos G. Lopez	....	assistant production coordinator
H. Charles Parrish	....	armorer
Kim Rocco Shields	....	script supervisor
Rosana Tomas	....	production coordinator
Jennifer Diane Torres	....	production assistant
Rayshelle Willis	....	first assistant accountant

Production Companies

• Flame Ventures
• Raw Feed

Distributors

• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2008) (Argentina) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Comen VFX (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Headquarters Casting  extras casting
• Louisiana Media Services  sound post-production
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Rest Stop 2 (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | USA:Unrated | Netherlands:16 | Austria:16 | Norway:18 | Argentina:16 | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (cut)

Company:

Flame Ventures

Goofs:

Factual errors: Tom Hilts is constantly referred to as a corporal, which is an E-4 rank in the Army. However, his rank insignia on his uniform is that of an E-3 private first class.

Movie Connections:

Follows Rest Stop (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Rattlesnake on the Highway

Sequel That Doesn't Really Accomplish What It Aims To

One year after the disappearance of Jesse and Nicole, Jesse's brother Tom (a corporal in the Army, fresh on leave from Iraq) and two friends are on the trail. Although the police were unable to do anything, these three quickly stumble on the same path from a year before... encountering the religious family, the driver... and more. Will they meet the same fate? I really enjoyed "Rest Stop" and seeing that the same people -- most of the original cast (Jaime Alexander is noticeably absent), plus John Shiban and Shawn Papazian -- had returned, I figured this one couldn't be too bad. But my feelings are mixed. While some of it was pretty good, other aspects came across as lacking. I'll start with the defects and then go back to the merits.

The casting confused me. Both Tom Hilts (Richard Tillman) and his friend Jared (Graham Norris) weren't overly likable, and they came across as awkward. I had no interest in caring about them. The girlfriend (Jessie Ward) was good as far as being the "sexy chick", but beyond that had little to offer. Was I supposed to care about her? The other big concern was that while the creators had said they wanted to expand the mythology of the first film, almost every scene was covering the same territory all over again. It's true that new details about the driver emerged, and there was some added mythology, but not really enough to make this film seem progressive.

My final concern was the use of torture. I understand torture was used in the first film on the bus, but it seems like it was increased for this flick. For no particular reason. Having one character be turned on another? Excruciatingly painful incidents that do little or nothing in punishing sin, as near as I can tell. If you're going to use torture, use it sparingly. The torture meme has taken over horror and I have been sick of it for some time now... it's not scary, it's just getting played out and boring.

But the film is not without its merits. There's a great bathroom scene... an intense sex scene which could have gone further but goes pretty far as it is... and more of those creepy twins. The use of gritty filming (like in "Devil's Rejects") returns, which I think adds a lot of character (and should be used more, not less). And for those who liked the first film, this fills in some blanks that may have been lingering in the minds of viewers.

Overall, "Rest Stop: Don't Look Back" was not a necessary part of the series and could have gone without being made. I feel that for what was added, it wasn't nearly enough. At the same time, the film sets the stage for a "Rest Stop 3", since now there's bound to be questions needing answers for some people. I'm curious. I don't know if they can adequately answer my concerns about the plot, but they have my endorsement if they are willing to try. Just please... more plot, less torture.