Thirteen years after the atmospheric The Mystery of a Hansom Cab (2012) brought Fergus Hume’s classic Victorian crime tale to life, a bold and moody sequel emerges: The Final Fare. Returning to 1890s Melbourne, the film expands upon the characters and moral ambiguity of the first installment while diving deeper into the psychological toll of obsession and secrets.
Once again, we follow barrister Brian Fitzgerald, whose reputation has grown—alongside the ghosts of the past. Though acquitted in the first film, Brian has since become a reclusive figure, tormented by doubt over his own innocence. When a second murder occurs—eerily similar to the mysterious death in the original hansom cab—Brian finds himself at the center of another twisted investigation.
The sequel introduces Detective Sergeant Harris, a principled but increasingly disillusioned officer who suspects that the truth behind the first case may never have fully come to light. Meanwhile, Brian’s estranged fiancée Madge Frettlby returns from abroad, carrying secrets of her own—possibly connected to a larger criminal network that may have used Melbourne’s transport routes for far more than passengers.
Director Shannon Murphy (known for her work on Babyteeth) takes over the reins with elegance and restraint. The film’s visual style remains true to its period, featuring cobblestone alleyways, gaslit streets, and opium dens hidden behind polished salons. The tension is slow-burning, emphasizing character over action.
What makes The Final Fare stand out is its tone: it is less a whodunit than a meditation on guilt, memory, and social decay. The hansom cab—once a symbol of mystery—is now nearly obsolete, replaced by tramlines and telegraphs. As the city modernizes, so too do the crimes, becoming less personal and more systemic.
Performances are strong across the board. Oliver Ackland returns as Brian, offering a more fragile, haunted version of the once-confident young man. Jessica De Gouw as Madge is riveting, blending sorrow with steely defiance. The film’s climax—set inside an abandoned cab workshop during a thunderstorm—perfectly captures the gothic undercurrent of Hume’s legacy.
While some may find the film’s pacing too deliberate, or its resolution less conclusive than expected, The Final Fare succeeds as a thoughtful, atmospheric sequel. It refuses easy answers and lingers, like the clatter of hooves on wet pavement, long after the credits roll.
