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Sole Survivor (1982)
Coming to us returning for a hiatus of sorts, our friends from Code Red Releasing with one of their newest releases in "Sole Survivor". Being well known on VHS in the 1980s "Sole Survivor" was one of the remaining titles from that decade that hasn't yet received a DVD release. That's all changed now thanks to Code Red and it's a very interesting movie indeed. First off there are incredible similarities between it's main plot of a airplane crash survivor and the 90s hit "Final Destination". Destination isn't a total ripoff of the movie as both of them are completely different in tone and execution. Also, there's some walking dead action in this one that sets itself completely apart from "Final Destination".
"Sole Survivor" is the story of Denise Watson a TV station employee who ends up being the lone survivor in a deadly plain crash. She manages to walk away from the incident unscathed in a very strange and worrisome demeanor mainly because she can't understand how or why it happened. It doesn't take long however for things to get increasingly weird for Denise as she notices strange people following her around as well as hearing voices calling her name. Her friend Karla Davis is an actress who happens to double as a clairvoyant, warning her that something is wrong. Ignoring her warnings Denise chalks a lot of it up as possible symptoms of "Survivor syndrome" in which people who survive these types of accidents manage to put themselves in danger because of guilt. It's actually based upon a real theory that happens to people in the same predicament in a world outside the movies. As Denise tries to get everything in her life together she somehow comes to the conclusion that she cheated death somehow and now death itself is trying to even the score.
Although I had heard of the film before it's release here on DVD, I hadn't seen it prior to getting this release. I have to say that I was a lot more interested in it after hearing that the director was Thom Eberhardt (Night of the Comet). I'm a fan of "Night of the Comet" so naturally I wanted to see something else of his. It didn't disappoint in the least although the movie does have some issues. The main problem that I have with it is the pacing, since there are moments in the movie that do drag on a little long. It's nothing that ruins the movie whatsoever, but it's something that I found myself getting annoyed with.
One of the coolest parts about "Sole Survivor" to me was the walking dead that were after the lead character of Denise. Eberhardt manages to build a few very good suspenseful scenes in the film and one in particular involving a chase to an elevator that really won me over. I really liked the dynamic of death and zombie like creatures trying to get to the heroine of the film as I was expecting this one to be a lot more like "Final Destination".
Overall I have to say that the film is pretty interesting and is well worth a look. The new Code Red DVD comes with audio commentary by star Caren Larkey and producer Sal Romeo, moderated by film historian Jeff McKay and director Jeff Burr (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3/Stepfather II). It also has a video interview with Larkey and Romeo, the original theatrical trailer of "Sole Survivor" as well as a Code Red trailer vault. Also the liner notes for this one were written by a great writer in Stephen Thrower (Nightmare USA/Beyond the Terror). Recommended.
Rating - **1/2
-Ed Demko
