Mikes Film Talk

Director Cody Ashford gives us the Mystery/Horror film Drive Back. It feels like an allegory for dementia more than anything else. Some have said it is a time loop, or warp, that the couple are trapped in. However, as one watches, the couple display almost classic symptoms of memory loss, or Alzheimer’s, aka; Dementia. Based upon the Jon Sarro script, the film is a mixture of several genres that confuses and disorients the viewer.

Drive Back Story

A young couple take a suggested shortcut after their anniversary party. Unfortunately for them, the alternate route turns out to be the road from Hell.

The Main Cast

Zack Gold is Reid.

Whit Kunschik is Olivia.

*Kudos to Madonna Young Magee as Wendy. She knocks the small but crucial role out of the park here.*

Gold and Kunschik kill in their respective roles. The characters feel quite real and very convincing.

Let’s Talk Drive Back

Unlike, say; Kill Me Again (2025) Drive Back does not feel like a Groundhog Day scenario at all. Initially, I felt this was going to be a Dead End “wannabe.” *The 2003 horror film Dead End; with Ray Wise and Lin Shaye is pretty iconic all on its own. Featuring a never ending road after dark where the doomed family is picked off one by one.*

Drive Back really does feel like the writer and director are allegorically presenting a case of dementia-like symptoms. The odd ending, which is a twist on the prevailing theme of confusion, doom and depressing logic, works well.

The dichotomy of missing/parallel timelines intermeshing with our two protagonists helps to add to the chaos.

It Works

Drive Back also feels influenced by the brilliantly dark Wrong Turn; the 2003 original not the recent remake. There is a threat from a couple of mysterious folks in that forest filled drive, but not of the inbred hillbilly sort in the Eliza Dushku film.

Watching the film, one is constantly trying to work out what is happening. While some have not responding positively to the storyteller’s delivery, it feels perfect for the underlying theme and the overt horror that the protagonists go through.

The SFX both practical and CG work here.

The Verdict

Drive Back earns a solid 3.75 stars out of 5. It delivers a satisfactory story and the allegory of dementia may just be my take from the tale, but it works regardless. It is streaming on Prime, Pluto, Plex and Tubi right now. Check it out and see what you think.

The Trailer