Jay Rohr
The Last Stop in Yuma County is a film that shouldn’t be described. Audiences are better off going in blind. That way this thrill ride can reach its full potential. Even when things seem obvious, the path there and what lies beyond are not only suspenseful but shocking.
The story starts with a traveling salesman circa 1974. He arrives at the only gas station in the middle of nowhere, but the pumps are dry. Waiting for the fuel truck, he decides to kill time in the adjacent diner. Unfortunately, so do a pair of dangerous bank robbers on the run. As more and more people arrive for various reasons, the tension mounts until an inevitable eruption. However, that’s just the start of a twist.
Those familiar with various potboilers will recognize this pressure cooker situation. Dozens of TV shows have employed it in the past such as MacGyver, The Rifleman, and several films as well. However, what The Last Stop in Yuma County does brilliantly is use expectations to its advantage. Audiences who roll their eyes at the familiar plot will quickly find themselves caught up in events unable to look away.
That’s because writer-director-editor Francis Galluppi wisely keeps the pace quick. Instead of subverting the formula, he embraces it. After all, formulaic is only a flaw when presented poorly. The Last Stop in Yuma County turns up the suspense by creating anticipation for where the story is likely going. It’s like watching a hungry shark circle a swimmer. This also allows the plot to unfold at a speed which makes the characters’ actions feel like there’s no time to think. For better or worse, everyone on screen is reacting in what seems close to real time; life and death decisions made in split seconds with lasting consequences.
Now, selling that reality requires authenticity which would be hard to pull off without a stellar cast. Fortunately, every performance is fabulous. Jim Cummings (The Wolf of Snow Hollow) is fantastic as the nervous knife salesman in over his head. Jocelin Donahue (The House of the Devil) superbly displays a waitress holding on to fragile stoicism, while remaining a hazard to hostage takers. Nicholas Logan (Organ Trail) and Richard Brake (Barbarian) are captivating terrors. One is a brazen oaf ready to shoot first, while the other possesses a reptilian charm that demands people play nice or something sinister will happen.
Though these four are at the heart of The Last Stop in Yuma County, they’re hardly the only performers worth mentioning. Everyone here hits the note they need to play perfectly. This allows a lot of the dialogue to have depth as well as permit for some silent storytelling. How characters react to situations is sometimes simply facial expressions or body language, but excellent performances make their thoughts clear.
Conversations are also written concisely. Even the few times The Last Stop in Yuma County strays into exposition, who is asking questions, and the way dialogue unfolds is very telling. The growing cracks between teenage lovers, the limits of a criminal partner’s intelligence, the attempted negotiations by powerless hostages—it all adds up to a fabulous sense of doom.
Cinematically, The Last Stop in Yuma County is so flawlessly executed it’s barely noticeable. For instance, instead of turning moving pictures into still frames for a longer look, slow motion is used to accentuate mounting tension. Furthermore, it occurs once making the utilization significant. It’s that sparing use of cinematic tricks that gives them more punch, turning The Last Stop in Yuma County into an effective mix of imagery. The visual storytelling keeps a viewer engaged without ever losing the plot or dressing up the dull with worthless gilding.
More importantly, none of the shots are a waste of time. Each contributes to a better understanding of the scene or conveying the mood in a moment. This helps The Last Stop in Yuma County clock in at roughly an hour and a half, but minutes melt away on this thrill ride.
Musically it’s a spot-on movie. Some diegetic needle drops fabulously flavor certain scenes with tunes such as Roy Orbison’s “Crying.. Meanwhile, the soundtrack has one or two original moments that wonderfully convey the nerve scratching tension of the situation. One instant in particular didn’t even sound like music for a second just raw grima-noise causing that nails-on-a-chalkboard feeling. Meanwhile, everything meshes to keep the setting authentic and the proper mood intact.
Despite being a suspense flick, The Last Stop in Yuma County isn’t afraid to inject a little comedy. The chuckles it chances never deflates the looming doom, but rather, allows the audience to relax while getting to know characters. Sierra McCormick (The Vast of Night) and Ryan Masson (“Good Girls”) delightfully induce snickers and concern as a bickering couple who’ve seen too many movies about outlaws. Connor Paolo (A Creature was Stirring) is the kind of bumbling deputy that gets everyone slapping their forehead, yet his borderline buffoonery often adds to the nail-biting.
This is all the product of a perfectly laid out series of events. By following the formula, Francis Galluppi is able to use every conceivable version of this pressure cooker all at once then leave room for a plausible twist that keeps the story going. The tension never ceases in The Last Stop in Yuma County. It simply shifts to a new suspenseful trajectory. Consequently, the film adds up to an exploration of heroism, cowardice, greed, morality, and human frailty.
And with that, I dare say I’ve said too much. Francis Galluppi conducts a suspenseful symphony of nerve straining events. What makes it even more brilliant is that The Last Stop in Yuma County remains fun throughout. The stellar cast lends authenticity to tense moments, often conveying their characters through facial expressions and body language alone. Seemingly formulaic, the movie preys on expectations leading to a bonkers, yet believable ending. The Last Stop in Yuma County is a must see for thriller fans and pulp fiction aficionados.
