RATING: B+

Quiver Distribution presents a Blacktop International production. Directed by Chris Helton. Produced by Chris Helton, Sydney Helton, and Taylor Stiles. Written by JL Goddard. Cinematography by Edward Guinn. Edited by Yvan Gauthier.

Stars Taylor Stiles, Warren Levi Haney, James Roseman, Shena Verrett, Scott Flaherty, Carlie Maze, Marshall Myer, Adara Starr, and Paul Rossi.

The story of one of South Carolina’s most notorious serial killers comes to life in this film from director Chris Helton, with a very charismatic performance from Taylor Stiles in the titular role. 

In the 1970’s, Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins is a mechanic who moonlights as a serial killer, picking up hitchhikers and taking them to the woods, where he assaults and ultimately kills his victims. He also deals drugs to local prostitute Clyde, who sells the drugs to innocent people in town, including Pee Wee’s niece. When he finds his niece heavily drugged from a party one night, he takes both her and her friend Patricia in and ends up killing both of them.

Clyde, who claims is pregnant with Pee Wee’s baby, blackmails him. However, knowing Clyde is partly responsible for his niece’s undoing, gets revenge on her. Meanwhile, law enforcement have begun investigating Pee Wee and word spreads out in town. When he gets his friend’s wife to help him go after a blackmailer in exchange for keeping hush about her affair, things go too far when Pee Wee takes a 13-year-old girl on a ride and she is never seen again. Soon, both local law enforcement and the FBI are now on the hunt for Gaskins. 

Donald Henry “Pee Wee” Gaskins was one of South Carolina’s most notorious serial killers. Already having engaged in a life of crime, from 1969 to 1976, he committed more than a dozen murders despite his claims of killing over 100 people. In the world of true crime thrillers, we have recently had a surging wave of films based on more relatively unknown serial killers or ones that haven’t gained national recognition like a Ted Bundy or Charles Manson. While Chad Ferrin has been making good use on the trend with Ed Kemper, Dorothea, and Sunset Strip Killers, Chris Helton directed this film based on the events of Gaskins. 

Taylor Stiles, who also serves as one of the film’s producers, churns in a very charismatic and at times, unhinged performance in the role of Gaskins. From the moment you see him on screen, you know he is going to be trouble. We learn that the film is told in flashbacks as he gives us the story from prison. In 1991, Gaskins was executed on death row after killing a man while serving a life sentence. We see Gaskins in a confessional about his whole story as it unfolds. 

While the film has a subtitle of “The Hitchhiker KIller” with Gaskins picking up random young women only to assault and kill them, there are other victims invovled. They include his own niece, a local prostitute with pull who attempts to blackmail him, some of his co-workers, and even his own associates and friends, or so-called friends when he feels they get greedy. Some of the deaths are graphically violent, but doesn’t go too far as making one vomiting. The same can’t be said for what happens in the finale for one character. 

Gaskins: The Hitchhiker KIller contines the true crime thriller of a lesser-known serial killer. Taylor Stiles churns in a great performance as Gaskins and the kills are more subtle despite its occasional brutality. If you’re into true crime films, add this to your list.