Delivery Run

If you’re a fan of car chases, snow, and spectacle, it’s unlikely that Joey Palmroos’ new road-thriller Delivery Run could possibly let you down. Simultaneously suspenseful and amusing, this Duel-inspired action extravaganza follows the character of Lee (Alexander Arnold) – a down-on-his-luck pizza delivery person who’s up to his neck in debt and constantly fretting over the well-being of his goldfish. Things get far worse for Lee, however, when a murderous snowplow driver sets his bloodthirsty sights on our unfortunate protagonist. This is a ridiculously entertaining feature. But more than that, it’s a beautifully orchestrated, taut work of authentic action filmmaking, featuring clear spatial geography, impressive car stunts and – in addition to the agreeable sense of humour – a feeling of genuine threat. At a certain point, Palmroos also experiments with genre by entering playful, slasher territory. Thus, this is a film which can appeal to a wide range of movie-goers.

The first thing to say is that this film – having been shot in Finland (but set in Minnesota) – showcases some awe-inspiring location work. And beyond the beauty of the snowy vistas, it’s also an effective storytelling tool, utilised to enhance that sense of danger and ramp up the tension at every moment. We’re immediately immersed in the elements, with the remoteness of these roads and towns making our protagonist seem all the more out of his depth. And yet, you can’t just pick a great location; you also have to know how to shoot it to get the most out of your environment. The sturdy anamorphic cinematography goes a long way to emphasise not just the surroundings but also the subjects within the frame: every headlight beams across the frame with an imposing horizontal lens-flare, causing any approaching vehicle to appear strikingly sinister.

In terms of the spectacle I previously spoke of, it’s important to note just how technically admirable this film is when it comes to shooting action and car chases. These are real cars on real roads; there’s nothing superficial or Hollywood about it. Much like Duel, there’s a stripped-down filmmaking attitude at play, and one willing to get these moments captured in-camera no matter what. There are so many inferior versions of this movie – films constructed with so much digital manipulation that the vehicles and their activities lack any kind of tactility. Whilst this film does feature CGI, it’s implemented intelligently and sparingly, and almost never as a stand-in for how any one vehicle is driving on the road.

Featuring a strong central performance by Alexander Arnold. We spend the entirety of the movie with our protagonist, oftentimes when he’s acting alongside nobody else but a fish. The movie, therefore, rides on the quality and engagement of such a performance, and so it’s a great pleasure that Arnold is so convincing in the role. There’s always a nervousness and a panicked humour to his persona, which keeps the viewer empathetic. We're rooting for him, even as he makes wrong decision after wrong decision. Much like Duel, the film ends on a deliciously ambiguous note. A bittersweet denouement which leaves one wondering whether there is any recovery from such an ordeal.