Review of Joy Ride (2001) by Justin K — 21 Oct 2010

JOY RIDE is a thriller of a lean and straight-forward nature. Written and produced by LOST creator and STAR TREK director J.J. Abrams of Bad Robot Productions, the story relentlessly lays on the suspense from the moment when we're first introduced to that voice and expertly builds the characters into believable people (instead of caricatures). Paul Walker, Leelee Sobieski and especially Steve Zahn as the goofball brother deliver tight performances that play their characters down to the most minute detail.

JOY RIDE finds its tone from the beginning as a character-based thriller. It lays out all the necessary elements of the road trip at the story's center, the purpose of the trip being Lewis (Walker) picking up Venna who could be more than a friend and on the way his trouble-magnet brother Fuller (Zahn), and a chase film later on.

One gripe I had with J.J. Abrams's and John Dahl's film is that the film's climax feels drawn out and the level of suspense in the following sequences ebbs and flows unnecessarily. Sure, JOY RIDE maintains pressure on Lewis and Fuller as they did begin the terrifying situation they're in, but up to a point the antagonist turns into a raving psychotic. I guess this kind of antagonist has a mental breaking point, unlike the slasher icons of the 1980's.

What makes JOY RIDE feel real and consequently very tense is the landscape-focused and clean cinematography, as well as its smart dialogue and aforementioned performances. The actors are never self-conscious and maintain the gravity of their situation and never let the attention of us, the audience, waver. That's what makes JOY RIDE a memorable thriller, and I'll be damned if I won't be seeing JOY RIDE on more than one occasion. Be ready for more Critiques and Opinions on Every Movie I Can Get My Hands On!