User Reviews

Special thanks to Richard Halpern for that stellar review above!

I don't know what the "legend" of zzyzx road had to do with this movie at all. The "legend" was mentioned at the beginning of the movie, via titles. That's it. Don't see what it had to do with the story.

Supernatural elements? Where? Maybe I slept through that part. In fairness, I sleep at some point during most movies.

Check it out, though, if you're a fan of Kenny (The Shield). You could do worse at the video store.

Hope it gets distribution!

I'll give it a 5 for Kenny's (and that girl's) acting.

Funny, but I don't see many reviewers (here or otherwise) commenting on the title sequence. The titles are done in a very imaginative way. In fact, it is so unusual (but not unique) and subtle that my friend didn't even notice that we were watching the title sequence. One of the reasons I enjoy independent films is because you get little gems like this after you sift through enough dust and sand. Without the title sequence, I would only be giving this two or three stars.

However, if you remove the title sequence from the equation, this is not a particularly good film. The story is acceptable and the film looks like most independent films, but the acting is pretty bad. The leads might even achieve acceptability, but the secondary characters and extras (or whatever you want to call them) are Grade-A amateurs. It doesn't help that all the characters are pretty off-putting and extreme. I believe that you have to care for at least one character in a movie, or at least empathize with a character, in order to enjoy it. Directors understand this and often achieve success by having you identify with multiple characters at different points within the story. "Zzyzx" fails in this respect.

Finally, the pacing is pretty poor. I wouldn't say that the movie is boring, but it comes pretty close.

Final advice, rent it and watch the title sequence (which means you have to sit through several very boring and poorly-acted minutes prior to the titles) and then rewind and watch them again. If, after watching another 15 minutes of the movie, you're bored or just disinterested, you can take the DVD out, return it, and you won't have missed anything.

Just want to point out that this film is DIFFERENT from the film starring Katherine Heigl. These two films have been getting mixed up a lot because of their similar names. To be clear, Zyzzyx Road is a 2006 film starring Katherine Heigl, Leo Grillo, and Tom Sizemore. The film is about an accountant (Grillo) who has an affair with a seductress (Heigl) in Vegas. Heigl's psychotic boyfriend (Sizemore)turns up and things get ugly. Zzyzyx is a film that came out around the same time by Richard Halpern starring Ryan Fox and Robyn Cohen. In this film two friends crossing the desert get themselves in a dangerous situation, which makes it terribly clear that desolation and desperation can have a frightening effect. There has been a bit of a battle between these two films, look it up online.

These reviewers are obviously being paid to do this, or friends with someone in the movie because damn it even if this movie was made 50 years ago it would still be considered horrible.

Terrible, really really bad movie. Nothing redeemable at all. Horrible story, horrible acting, awful production, abysmal camera work, sometimes when movies are this awful they try to pretend it was supposed to be a spoof. No chance of that here. Just a really awful movie, avoid at all costs.

I love suspense/thriller movies and I was very impressed with this one. ZZYZX is beautifully done in all aspects and takes you on an exciting ride from start to finish. It is a very gritty film and the camera work and setting give you a very desolate and isolated feeling that enhances the great performances given by the actors. The mystique of the road itself and the background of the compound/Zillers are great starting points for this romp in the desert. You are quickly caught up in the action and the characters and never see the twists and turns coming. There is enough sex, drugs and music to keep the pace up and you wanting more. The character of Lou, portrayed wonderfully by Kenneth Johnson, is very dark and unsettling. I found this movie very enjoyable to watch and would recommend everyone find a way to see it. It is truly great. My only regret is that I was unable to see it in a theater.

Just saw a cut of this film and it was fantastic! Exciting thriller starring that dude Lemonhead from THE Shield. Great cinematography, story kept me guessing. Lots of action, drugs, blood, sex, fun! Very mysterious, moved at a great pace! Story about a couple of guys who run over a dude with their car then try to cover it up, only to bump into the dudes wife 5 minutes later. Then all hell breaks loose! Really built up the legend of Zzyzx Road really well. Had some great supernatural elements. Had this really cool car crash sequence and the performance from all of the actors were top notch. Had that sexy actress from The Life Aquatic too. Movie zipped on by at 90 minutes....wish it was longer because the ride was truly exhilarating!

Check it out. Truly, a great, great movie.

"Zzyzx" has to be the best film seen by the fewest people ever. It was only by the luck of a friend's recommendation that I even heard about this flick. Honest to god, my life is richer because of it.

The first interesting point about "Zzyzx" is the fact that it is a real road, in a really spooky desolate desert area, with a truly odd history. Not the one portrayed in the movie, but weird nonetheless. With that as a starting point, this piece of work takes you on a hell of ride, despite its miniscule budget. As always, good writing is the key, and this baby's got it. Twists, portent, and finally complete resolution make it all worth it. Sure it's upsetting, but not gory for gore's sake or anything of the sort.

If you like desert flicks shot in daylight, relish this film. Here's a hell of a story well told. So tell your friends!

Saw this Z movie at a festival in Miami. It spooked the crap out of me! I like movies that have surprises and this one so did. Kenny j's awesome, BTW! It starts out with these Mexicans finding bones in the desert, then goes on from there. Kenny plays Lou, a handsome but kinda crazy guy whose taking this sorta dweeby Ryan character to Las Vegas. They stop off on Z road (sorry, can't spell it without looking) and stuff happens out there that I don't want to say cause it would spoil it. Trust me, don't read any comments that have spoilers. You'll really like the twists if you don't know their coming. They meet a couple more people on the road, one is Candace, who wears pretty funky clothes. Better quit before I blow anything. Check it out. Can't wait for the DVD.

Zzyzx is, simply put, possibly the best independent film I've seen in a long long time. Period. By any standards, it's a great film. It's well written, well acted, and (especially considering it's budget constraints) well directed. Do yourself a favor, and put this one in your NetFlix queue, and then spread the word. It's the fact that occasional films that are this electric get MADE that keeps me scouring the shelves of video stores, and reading independent film reviews online. In a world where The Blair Witch Project becomes a multi million dollar maker, it's a criminal shame that this gem has stayed under the radar for so long. Help bring it up where it belongs. Support independent film!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this awesome movie.

Kenny Johnson, Robyn Cohen and Ryan Fox all do an excellent job on each of the characters. I must say KJ was especially hot, even though his character was a major creep. His character, Lou, shows he can play characters outside of the nice-guy types. Ryan, Lou's geeky friend, is obsessed about the whole Zzyzx story and has his own set of troubles. He was my second fav character besides Lou.

The plot is pretty cool. It revolves around another story about some people who are even more freaky than the characters in the movie.

It went along at a good clip and kept me interested. There's a couple of twists and turns that kept me guessing too. The ending was surprising to say the least.

ZZYZX is a sign you see in the middle of nowhere on I-15 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas- my wife and I were wondering how it is pronounced-

Zissicks? Zissk?

We always make the joke that north of Las Vegas is Area 51 and south of Las Vegas is Area 52-60, culminating in ZZYZX. heh heh heh. There always appear to be suspicious little enclaves and compounds out in this neck of the woods. And of course, China Lake and the Marine Base for real.

There is no more dessicated place than the Mojave Desert to choose as a location for a thriller, and this is sounding like a great film and a great locale.

Zzyzx is a wicked and wild, captivating film filled with moments when the viewer may not know if there is another breath coming. Anyone who is used to seeing Kenny Johnson (The Shield) as Lemansky, will be blown away by Lou! His performance is so gritty and raw, he puts Brad Pitt's character Early Grace (Kalifornia) to shame. Every aspect of this film was creepy, spooky and oddly terrifying. My skin reacted like it might when hearing nails on a chalkboard.... only, no noise made it happen!

Zzyzx was well cast as Ryan Fox and Robyn Cohen were great as well. From "The Life Aquatic" to Zzyzx? Well, you just never know what lies behind someone's eyes. What a ride!

Richard Halpern's got a hit on this one. I can't wait to find out what others have to say about it, and to see what he's doing next! Go Richard!

(English isn't my first language, so if I make any major mistakes, please forgive me :).)

First of all, assuming mostly Kenny Johnson fans come here, is it worth buying the film for this great actor alone? Most certainly! You're a fan? Get the DVD right now!

ZZYZX is Richard Halperns debut as a director. He recently started work on his next film Cold Cream. The cast consists mostly of relatively unknown faces, something that I can personally appreciate from time to time. It gives the actors a chance to become the characters instead of being, let's say, Tom Cruise in his new movie. The acting is pretty good too, I'd say. Star of the movie is Kenny Johnson of Shield fame. I really love his acting. In my opinion, his acting is really natural, and thus believable. I'd love to see a lot more of him in the future.

The story start with two friends on their way to some isolated road (ZZYZX). Their relationship seems a little weird at first, one pretty much being a major ass to the other, but as the story progresses we find out it's not that strange the two ended up together. Lou (Johnson) is an ex-soldier, who apparently came back a different man from the war in Iraq. The other, Ryan, doesn't seem to enjoy his life as much as he could, and is what most would call a nerd. He's in the computergame business, doesn't seem to have a girlfriend or any friend other than Lou.

While Lou's at the wheel, the two drive down the ZZYZX when they see a man walking the road somewhere in the distance. Lou jokingly suggests hitting the man since no one's gonna find out anyway. Ryan takes his words a little too serious and as the two struggle the car does in fact hit the man. To make thing even better, not much later a woman comes strolling by and asks if the guys might have seen her husband and if they could give her a ride.

I'm a big fan of Asian cinema, not only because there are some very talented artists out there, but also because they seem to go different places in their movies. For a couple of reasons this movie reminded me of some of Miike's movies. Miike, for those who don't know him, is one of the most popular directors in japan at the moment, with some great movies like Audition and Gozu on his name. Although this movie won't go anywhere near the extremes seen in the latter movie, the style of the movie did remind me a bit of the first. Because this ís a real indie-film (independent - not sure if the terms used in the English language) it's able to go places other films won't come near. There's some pretty graphic stuff in here, though it's never there for the sole reason of shocking the audience. Violence is used effectively, again much like in movies like Audition.

A yellow glow, some dreamlike (or rather nightmarelike) sequences and some good editing give the movie an attractive visual style. I don't know what the budget was, but assuming it can't be much they've really accomplished a lot with what they had. The music is pretty good too, especially during the second half.

In conclusion, it's a great film, no matter how you look at it. Whether you like Kenny Johnson, enjoy independent films or love thrillers you won't be disappointed. It's too bad there's some childish voting going on everywhere on this site - this movie doesn't deserve anything near a 1, though you can expect some kids voting for the sole reason of lowering the overall rating. What it does deserve is all the praise it can get. It's not a prefect movie, but it's probably accomplished everything the makes set out to accomplish.

And let me say it just one last time - Kenny Johnson is a great actor. Hope to see a lot more of him in the future. Can't wait till the fifth season of the Shield is available on DVD - it's hasn't aired yet here in the Netherlands :(.

This movie has a gritty feel to it. It is a lot like These Hills Have Eyes and The Blair Witch. The movies camera work is shaky in some places lending itself to The Blair Witch. The back story on the website is awesome and plays in nicely with the movie. The movie has star powers and is awesome for an Independent film. Any fan of Lem from The Shield should definitely see this film. The acting is great, the direction is awesome, the only drawback that kept me from giving this a 10 out of 10 was the camera work. It was a bit too shaky for me. Kenny Johnson plays a wonderful role of a solider that just returned from Iraq. This film shows he is capable of being the lead actor and making the film be convince able.

So, was it worth the sixteen-year wait to see Zzyzx for the first time on Tubi?

Well, it's better than I expected and exactly what I expected. It streamed neither with a bang nor a whimper, but with a shrug.

Zzyzx -- and the production-confused Zyzzyx Road -- are essentially the same desert-based neo-noir sparsely populated by humans enchanted or possessed by the arid landscapes fracturing their psyche, inspiring them to indulge their darkest desires based in revenge and deceit. The former is the more graphic, The Hills Have Eyes-inspired of the duo (right down to the motor home). Both have small casts of three main characters: two men (one macho, one wimpy) and one femme fatale. And someone -- in the middle of the desert where there's no traffic or pedestrians -- still manages to get hit by a car. And both center on sad sacks hittin' it big in Vegas -- and scoring an ulterior-motives babe, natch.

As its non-linear tale unspools, Kenny Johnson's Lou is a macho, already-tweaked Gulf War veteran (the war flashbacks are toy-store inaccurate-cheap) in a The Grapes of Wrath-styled relationship with his "Lennie Small": Ryan, a wimpy computer store clerk enamored with the "Blair Witch" web-based mysteries surrounding Zzyzx: a deserted town on the southwestern edge of the Mojave Desert. A Mansonesque cult leader (who we never meet) resides out there, Spahn Ranch-style, broadcasting static-filled sermons from a remote radio station (who we never hear, except for garbled static) -- which leads us to believe a possible "supernatural comeuppance" awaits. (Daniel Myrick low-budget blockbuster reminds; he, and this film's director, Richard Halpern, have worked together on four films.)

Traveling down Zzyzx Road, Lou and Ryan bicker behind the wheel; they hit Manny: a heavy-set Native American man stumbling in a drunken stupor along the roadside; Candice, our femme fatale appears: she's looking for her newlywed husband who went to get help, as their RV is stuck in the sand. And Lou hatches a plan -- and harangues Ryan -- to cover up Manny's death.

Is our Candice (Lou classifies her as "hot") just another desert siren leading men to their doom? Is she just another cold, greedy noir-woman -- with a couple of ice-cold six packs and psychedelic mushrooms in the fridge and a coke-filled Altoids tin?

The film opens with a creative, opening title cards sequence: as Lou and Ryan travel out of Los Angeles toward the Mojave, credits appear on road signs and billboards amid their dialog; Richard Halpern's directing credit appears on a truck's bumper sticker: "How's My Directing? Call ###-###-####." Very cool.

While many critiqued the cinematography as "amateur," "shot on a phone," and "too Blair Witchy," the soft-focus cinematography's "gritty, rough and hazy images" are an artistic choice -- not technical ignorance -- that work hand-in-hand with the hot, dusty environs; the handheld shakiness of the camera lends to the film's disjointed, surreal vibe. Art D'Alessandro's scripting -- in conjunction with director Richard Halpern's editing -- develops an interesting visual style in structuring the film's drug-fueled flashbacks (by all three characters) as a rewinding VHS tape -- complete with washouts, squeals and scratches. How was this shot: film or video? Did cinematographer Jean Senelier break out an old Bell & Howell 16mm camera to achieve the documentary-style of the film, à la 1972's The Last House on the Left?

Zzyzx is certainly not the "Best Indie Film Seen in a Decade," but it's certainly not the worst indie film seen in a decade. I give this 5-stars, a half-star less than the other film about the road in the Mojave.

You can visit my expanded, full review at B&S About Movies -- which also delves into Zyzzyx Road. You can find me under "critic reviews" for both films.