*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“I think it was following me…”
The Man in the White Van originally released in limited theaters on December 13th 2024 and is now available to watch on Demand as of January 7th 2025. The horror-thriller film stars Madison Wolfe, Ali Larter, Sean Astin, and Brec Bassinger. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.
Inspired by true events in 1970’s Florida, a driver begins to follow a young girl everywhere she goes, but her family dismisses her concerns, assuming that she is making things up for attention.
Here is the trailer:
The Man in the White Van is a tense thriller with a strong female lead to root for. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
A terrifying premise that leads up to an intense final act!
The entire film had such a creepy tone, but the last thirty minutes were insane. I was on the edge of my seat. It was jam-packed with adrenaline-filled moments. I was so happy this film turned itself around. I was concerned initially, but my watch paid off. The very end fell off a little for me, but I thought this film did a great job creating suspense with a lower budget.
A resourceful female lead to cheer on.
I thought the lead did a fantastic job in this. I was rooting for her the entire time. It was fun seeing Ali Larter as well (who hasn’t aged a day). Some of the other characters fit too neatly into tropes, but I was impressed with the performances in this overall.
The Cons:
The vignettes were distracting.
This film took a similar approach to Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour, but I thought that film executed things in a more effective way. The time jumps in this one didn’t do it any favors. They really didn’t add to the film and they took away from the core plot.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the excessively loud sound effects to enhance the cheesy jump scares. The premise was already terrifying enough so this seemed a little excessive to me. I also thought the film had a weak opening and some pacing issues in the middle. It did redeem itself in the final act, however.
So am I in or out?
I’m in!
The Man in the White Van is a solid low budget thriller with some genuine moments of intensity.
This wasn’t the best thriller I’ve seen, but the last thirty minutes were worth the watch.
If you’re a fan of cat-and-mouse thrillers with a simple approach, there’s enough here to enjoy.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Man in the White Van in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
DON’T TAKE THE JOB…
It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.
My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!
Girl Number Thirteen is available here!
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