Review of Joy Ride (2012) by Stuart K — 30 Apr 2014

Directed by John Dahl, (Red Rock West (1993), The Last Seduction (1994) and Rounders (1998)), and co-written and co-produced by J.J. Abrams. This thriller/road movie owes a lot to Duel (1972) and The Hitcher (1986)).

But it does have some good twists along the way, and just when you think it's over, it isn't, their whole ordeal starts all over again. But it still makes for entertaining and gripping viewing.

University student Lewis Thomas (Paul Walker) has just finished his freshman year and is beginning his summer break, and he's planning on a road trip across America with his girlfriend Venna (Leelee Sobieski).

However, Lewis gets news that his brother Fuller (Steve Zahn) has been arrested in Salt Lake City, and someone needs to pay bail. That falls to Lewis, and upon release, Fuller invites himself on Lewis' road trip.

On their trip, Fuller buys a CB radio, and he uses to taunt truck drivers in the area, however it completely backfires on them when they hear from a mysterious trucker called Rusty Nail, who seems to have deadly and threatening motives towards them.

There's something quite old fashioned about this film, and it wouldn't have seemed out of place in the 1970's or even 1980s, it does have a suspenseful attitude about it, and it makes the most of the open road as the battleground between the brothers and the deadly, vengeful trucker.