[6]
Paul Walker and Steve Zahn star in this thriller about two brothers who play a prank on a truck driver who then mercilessly pursues them for deadly revenge. While the story is highly derivative of Duel and The Hitcher, Walker and Zahn do a great job carrying the film with their charisma and chemistry. Director John Dahl (The Last Seduction, Red Rock West) gives a moody atmosphere to the sprawling highways of the American southwest, and screenwriters Clay Tarver and J.J. Abrams (Super 8) keep a tight pace that culminates in a nail-biting finale. Leelee Sobieski co-stars as Walker’s girlfriend who gets picked up for the last half of their harrowing journey. While it’s nothing new, at least Joyride is well done.
With Ted Levine (Silence of the Lambs) as the uncredited voice of the film’s unseen villain, and an energetic score by Scream‘s Marco Beltrami.