Hallow Road – Movie Review (4/5)

HALLOW ROAD is a new psychological thriller with a supernatural twist and a minimalist setting. It feels a lot like a horror movie with a terrifyingly realistic plot. Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys are breathtaking in this. Read our full Hallow Road movie review here!

HALLOW ROAD is a psychological thriller starring Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys. It takes place almost entirely inside a car, which makes for a minimalist setting and a very claustrophobic vibe. The kind you’ll recognize from Locked.

If you can, do not miss out on the chance to watch this as part of an exclusive AMC Halloween Double Feature; Watch Hallow Road and Vincent Must Die (which we loved) for the price of one ticket. Only on October 31, 2025.

Continue reading our Hallow Road movie review below.

Driving into oncoming trauma

When Hallow Road opens, it’s with a scene that shows a kitchen where something clearly happened quite suddenly. This, however, is not where the movie will play out.

Instead, we follow Maddie (Rosamund Pike) and Frank (Matthew Rhys) as parents trying to get to their daughter, Alice (Megan McDonnell). This all happens after a late-night (very late) call from Alice.

On this call, Alice is clearly very upset, and her parents will soon learn why: She has just hit a young woman with her car. Now Alice is out in the middle of nowhere and is panicking. Her parents run to their car and race towards her.

Both of them recognize that they are driving into oncoming trauma for both them and their daughter. However, they do not agree on how to best help Alice. Not only are they not on the proverbial same page, they’re not even in the same book.

Claustrophobic and relentlessly stressful

As we follow Maddie and Frank driving towards their daughter and her unknown future, we learn a lot more about this family. Particularly, how they tend to help their daughter, which Maddie is worried might have been a disservice.

At what point does help become hurtful, if your child continues to do wrong?!

Frank, however, doesn’t care about these details. He just needs to save his little girl. Alice may now be an 18-year-old young adult, but she is still his child. Maddie feels the same, but is trying to avoid future trauma for her child.

As we watch their desperation change and grow, we see Rosamund Pike (Saltburn, Gone Girl, I Care a Lot) and Matthew Rhys (The Americans, Cocaine Bear) deliver breathtaking performances. Constantly digging deeper.

Just when you think you have a grip on their personality, pressure will show another side of them. Also, I absolutely adore the voice acting of Rosamund Pike, which is key to Hallow Road as well. This is movie magic to me!

Watch Hallow Road on Halloween in AMC theaters!

Babak Anvari is the director of Hallow Road, which is his fourth feature film. First came Under the Shadow, which was Oscar-nominated, then I Came By (perfect for Halloween, as well), and, most recently, Wounds.

The screenplay comes from William Gillies, and it worked for me on all levels. Including the elements inspired by popular Celtic myths from across the UK and Ireland. The kind we know from other movies, but aren’t at the forefront here.

HALLOWEEN DOUBLE FEATURE

Watch Hallow Road and Vincent Must Die at AMC theaters on October 31, 2025. Two movie, 1 Ticket, and a perfect genre movie marathon!

While Hallow Road is a psychological thriller first, I would definitely call it a horror movie as well. If for no other reason, then due to the relatability and realism of the core plot.

Also, it does evolve in a very sinister way with an ending that won’t be for everyone. It’s brutal!

Details

Director: Babak Anvari
Script: William Gillies
Cast: Rosamund Pike, Mathew Rhys, Megan McDonnell