Horror Movie Review: Creep Van (2012)

Directed by Scott W. McKinlay and written by Jim Bartoo, Creep Van is one of those nice low-budget/indie horror surprises. Where you go in not expecting much but come out satisfied and entertained. Not a great movie by any stretch but nowhere as bad as you might have expected.

Brian Kolodziej plays Campbell, a ‘slacker’ character who can’t hold a job down. He is currently crashing on the couch of his friend who is into some ‘unusual’ sexual stuff with his girlfriend. It’s too much for Campbell who, desperate for his own place, takes a job at a car wash. Where he meets co-worker Amy (Amy Wehrell) and immediately becomes smitten with her.

If needing the money was the main reason for Campbell to keep this job, Amy working there is his second. There’s just one problem. He can’t ask her out and is struggling to be on time for work, because he doesn’t have a vehicle and is forced to take the bus.

So, when Campbell sees a dirty old van with a for sale sign in the window, he figures it will do. An unfortunate decision as this van’s owner is a serial killer. One that uses the for-sale sign to lure in his victims and uses the van to dispatch those he has targeted. Once Campbell contacts the killer, he becomes his new target. As does anyone associated or contacted to Campbell.

The best thing about Creep Van is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and everyone involved plays up to that. The cast and their characters are good, dedicated and likable. It’s a silly story with multiple silly threads (such as Swami Ted – played by Collin Bernsen) and is kept at a peppy pace.

Still, a killer with a van, doesn’t exactly scream fun, does it? Well, to make things more interesting, this killer has fitted out his van to be a killing machine. It’s not just about running people over, this van has seat belts that can garrotte, windows sharp enough to cut through flesh and bone, and even spiked airbags. It’s very silly but entertaining, especially as the red stuff is liberally spread about with (mostly) practical effects.

If the film has any faults, it really comes in final third when the pacing gets a little slow and you can’t help but think it could have been tightened up. Maybe 10 minutes shaved off here and there. Yet, that doesn’t mean it’s even boring. It’s just a small thing that many will notice as the film reaches its entertaining apex.