Joy Ride

I went to "Joy Ride" with high expectations -- having enjoyed the work of Steve Zahn and John Dahl immensely in the past. But what I got was a poorly done by-the-numbers thriller with several numbers missing. "Joy Ride" is typical of movies these days that present a few good set-piece scenes but don't make them come together into a satisfying whole. The problem here is almost exclusively in the script. The villain is a chillingly evil, faceless trucker who is apparently omniscient. He knows everything about his victims -- who they are, where they are at all times, even where their friends are. But how? This omniscience is never even remotely explained and makes no sense. Without even this semblance of logic, the events in the film have little context and carry little punch. If the kids in the film were dealing with a maniac who, bad as he is, has to play by the same rules of reality as everyone else, and thus can be outsmarted, the film would have some point. As it is, it's just a series of scares that quickly becomes ho-hum. What a disappointing misuse of a great cast and a talented director. Who green lights things like this? I guess audiences are still going to see it, but they deserve much more.

I thought it a good popcorn thriller. Suspenseful, and lots of action. I'm no film critic or anything, but I was entertained by this and that's all that matters to me. Plus, I'm secretly in love with Leelee. Marry me! It's got plenty of suspense, and as long as you're not looking for anything too deep, this will satisfy you. I have the idea that the original review posted was by someone who prefers a more chilling horror movie, which I do not. This is pure entertainment with a scary element thrown in. I highly respect Steve Zahn as an actor, and Paul Walker isn't bad either. The "unknown" rig driver is properly menacing, and I can completely suspend disbelief and place myself in either of these actors' roles (more likely Walker's role as he originally goes with the prank and then thinks otherwise when the prank starts to get into the "iffy" category but his buddy eggs him on). Like I said, pop yourself some popcorn, don't expect a deep and mind-bending thriller, turn the lights off and cozy up with your guy or girl and enjoy a satisfyingly entertaining movie with a solid storyline that will not give you nightmares. Cheers :)