Who doesn’t love a classic urban legend come to life? Those spooky campfire stories that terrified and titillated us at the same time. I certainly will never forget being under a blanket fort with my older sister. I would sit there and shiver while she told me the tale of the haunted hill near our house. It was told that an evil man killed a school bus full of children there. If you stop your car at the bottom of the hill, the ghosts of the dead children will push it uphill, in order to save you from their same fate. I’d have nightmares for months thinking of the poor spectral kids slaughtered by the evil that existed at that hill. The vast collection of urban myths out there seems to be growing more each day. There’s the man with a claw for a hand, Bloody Mary, the Boogeyman, and now we have… The Hangman. HAZARD is a well-done take on our classic legends that give us nightmares from childhood to adulthood.

On her way to stay the night at her friend’s house, Jane’s (Joanna Kay) car suddenly stops on “Old Adobe Road.” She’s on the phone with her friend Sally (Adrien Deane) who explains to her the history of The Hangman who haunts that very road. Sally agrees to pick up Jane on one condition: Jane must call for The Hangman. With a sarcastic eye roll, Jane reluctantly complies. You can only guess what happens next…

Simple, delightfully predictable, but haunting, HAZARD relies consistently on practical effects, which is always refreshing to see in this modern era of computerized clowns and creatures. The most interesting aspect of the film is its use of lighting. It is as if the entire film is lit by the lights of the car, most notably her hazards. All the action happens in darkness, with only bits of it being seen in the flashing lights — and trust me when I say… they are the best bits. Another great aspect is the music — eerie, chilling, and epic towards the end. It made me want to watch the film all the way through the credits so I wouldn’t miss a second of the soundtrack. I may need to find a way to download it just to keep my car rides as scary as Jane’s.

If you have five minutes and need a quick spook – HAZARD is my recommendation. No gore, no crazy twists… Just a simple, fun scary story – a new urban legend for its time. I give it 7 out of 10 nooses for lighting, music, and childhood trauma.