It’s been years but I remember liking it then too. It’s a fun suspenseful road movie with a Hitcher vibe in that both deal with villains
on desert highways. Instead of a
hitchhiker, this film contains a trucker named Rusty Nail doing the
terrorizing. I can’t say I’m a fan of
the late pretty boy, Paul Walker, but I don’t dislike him either. Mr. Walker and Steve Zahn decide to have some
fun with a CB radio unknowingly kick-starting Mr. Nail’s wrath. It could’ve been a tedious movie with Rusty
taunting them on the open road the entire time leading to the inevitable
showdown, but the confrontation occurs halfway and I liked how it was
structured to appear finished. It’s
almost like a sequel was already included and its welcome is never overstayed. This movie’s entertaining. I wanted more when it ended if that’s any
indication.
Joy Ride 2: Dead Ahead
Fairly worthy sequel with Rusty Nail (played by a different
actor) doling out more “vengeance” on a group of young adults heading to
Vegas. It’s still a road thriller with
added bits of Texas Chainsaw Massacre
and “torture porn” thrown in. It’s
probably not a good idea to borrow someone’s car when they’re not home, even if
you leave your number stating you’ll return it.
At least not if that house and car belong to Mr. Nail. Again, it could’ve been super lame if they
were followed on the highway the entire time, but the crazy trucker makes
demands for the victims to accomplish off the road. Horror sequels are expected to increase the
bloodshed. This sequel slightly follows
those rules. Just make sure you watch
the unrated version though; I don’t remember violence (other than implied) in
the rated one. I don’t recall much of
any from Joy Ride come to think of it,
but it wasn’t needed because the suspense kept me occupied.
Joy Ride 3: Road Kill
Rusty Nail, played by another
different actor, is back and this time his victims are six young adults heading
to a NASCAR-like race. The red stuff
tops the first two combined this time.
Just make sure it’s the unrated version again; I don’t remember the
rated version being as bloody. Some of
the violence is superb and the chase sequences are extremely well-shot but,
like most threequels, the thrill wears off.
It’s still worth watching though.
This is the first movie I saw with Ben Hollingsworth and I’ve been a fan
since. This was surprisingly my favorite
movie of his. I think celebrity crushes
are lame but eye candy is always nice especially if the content is somewhat
compelling. Go figure, I like him but
not Paul Walker. Whatever, different
strokes folks.
In conclusion:
All three movies are worthwhile.
All three have a different actor (face mostly obscured anyway) playing
Rusty, but their voices all sound similar.
The films successively get worse, but not in the sense you should bypass
any. At one time (and possibly still),
the entire series was only $7.50 at Walmart.
Totally worth having a Joy Ride
marathon every few years, or weeks/months depending on admiration. The franchise began to lose steam the third
time like most trilogies, so I don’t think Rusty Nail needs to return a 4th
time (different actor or not). I can’t
control these things though. Much like
the iconic boogeymen (Jason, Michael Myers, Chucky, etc.), Rusty inexplicably seems
immortal. So if Joy Ride 4 happens, you know I’ll have to watch it (damn OCD). For now though, enjoy these three. 4/27/2017
---Sean O.
