Film Review: Destination Marfa (2021)

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SYNOPSIS:

While on a road trip from a long weekend, four lifelong friends decide to veer off road and venture into a small West Texas town known as Marfa after meeting a mysterious stranger. What attracted them to do so? Why is the town so hush-hush? Will they discover the truth behind the mystery of the Marfa lights and their ultimate destiny?

REVIEW:

Production Year : 2021

Cast:  Tony Todd (Candyman, Scream: The TV Series, 24), Stelio Savante (Infidel, Running For Grace, Ugly Betty), Richard Riehle (The Man from Earth, Casino), Neil Sandiland ( News of the World, Sweet Tooth, The Flash), Tracy Perez (East Los High, Animal Kingdom), Kyle Cotton (Angel of Death, Street Survivors: The True Story of the Lynyrd Skynyrd Plane Crash)

Destination Marfa was directed and written by Andy Stapp.

Destination Marfa opens with beautiful aerial and location shots.

We meet Vincent (Stelio Savante), he’s the hitchhiker and the narrator of the story.  (Does anyone remember the show, The Hitchhiker? It had a cool opening scene and Page Fletcher played The Hitchhiker. I believe it was on HBO. That was a good show.) Four friends are on a road trip.

We meet Eden (Brittany Jo Alvarado), Erik (Marcus Jahn), Allie (Tracy Perez), and Matt (Kyle Colton).

The Hitchhiker Vincent is in the diner now. We meet Mayor Henry played by Tony Todd and Donna (Kimberly Christann Pember).

He picks up right where he left off. He continues the story. The four friends on a road trip. He meets them at the gas station. The usual place but with a twist. The gas station has quite a few characters, Skeeter (Richard Riehle) and Wilmer. But Wilmer isn’t Wilmer, and the odds and ends lead them to meet Vincent (Stelio Savante). He’s hitchhiking to Marfa, Texas.

Allie also notices the strange fortune telling device from old movies. Her friend tries to warn her not to mess with it, she can’t help herself. It’s natural for humans to be curious. (I really want to know what they are drinking.)

Okay, so they pass by the sign that talks about the lights, and they also pass Vincent again. They decide to pick up Vincent, we get some good music, and more tales from Vincent. Marfa looks like a beautiful place; I totally want to visit.

Vincent is still telling the tale and the four friends wind up in Mayor Henry’s diner. At least it seems to be Mayor henry’s diner. Tony Todd always delivers a powerful, overwhelming, calm performance. There are quite a few characters in the diner. Donna, the waitress talks to the four friends and tells them her thoughts on the lights.

I find it fascinating and now that so many people either believe in the otherworldly or they don’t. It has become something that people search for. They seek the odd and unusual.

The movie is beautifully shot, the colors are vibrant and dark. There are yellows that stand out in darker blue tinted shots. A red that sticks out and now we see the oddness happening. Erik has a weird moment in the bathroom at the diner. Mayor Henry is having a cryptic conversation with Vincent.

They apparently know one another and we get to see more of Marfa, Texas. There is a cook-off happening, the lights that are magical, a musician performing. They are celebrating the Day of the Dead. We also meet the security guy played by Martin Klebba.

There is an eeriness in the movie, you aren’t quite sure what will happen? Will someone be abducted? What do the lights do? Is this a town where souls get stuck? What kind of chaos will happen? I have a lot of questions. The four of them get their faces painted and fortunes told.

I love when you see Night of the Living Dead homages. Things get weird and the fortune teller upset everyone.

So, the four friends go to check out the lights. WHY?! Well, I would do the same thing so I can’t say anything.

The four friends are doing some sightseeing and having fun. Vincent is lurking around. Erik and Matt go after the Marfa lights. They hear different stories, tales, and legends.

This is a different story, there is a fascination with the lights and Marfa.

Eden finally shows Erik the photo she took of him with Heather, the Gypsy played by Sasha Thurston. It’s a place that you would want to go sightseeing and sort of investigate the surroundings. Erik, Eden, Allie, and Matt want to eat and leave now. They have seen enough in Marfa.

This is like The Twilight Zone. It’s wild. They finally reveal what the ticket says from the gas station. Wilmer (Scot Scurlock), the Man in the Dark shows up. This is so CRAZY! It’s mind-blowing. It’s sad in many ways, and there is a message. Listen to your instincts, life is short.

I would recommend watching Destination Marfa. It has a sci-fi/thriller/horror kick to it. You need to watch it to see everything that is happening. Andy Stapp did such a great job with Destination Marfa. The cast is excellent, and entertaining.

Check out Destination Marfa.