Have just seen this for the first time after picking up the SE DVD at the right price. After seeing it I can't describe What seems to be something of a cult film as anything other than disappointing and unsatisfying.
Right from the opening we're subjected to the idiocy of the lead picking up a hitch hiker (despite his momma having told him never to do so). Poor choices and bad judgement abound at every opportunity from there on in along with numerous plot holes, time line errors and implausibilities all cast aside to keep the contrived suspense moving along.
I was especially fond of how you can drive and drive for hours without seeing any sign of civilization, yet if forced to abandon the car or proceed on foot, a settlement or other such place is just right around the corner or over the next hill.
I don't mind C. Thomas Howell at all but I was really wanting to see his blood spilled everywhere more and more as the film progressed. He was just so damned annoying and irritating. Not only was he annoyingly irritating and stupid, but so too were the cops right through the film who are portrayed as (literally and figuratively) cowboys.
After seeing part of the looking back doco on the extra features where they boast of it's multi genre appeal and debate if the film should be a horror, thriller or action film and tell us it's a little bit of each; I must admit they were correct. It's decidedly average though in all three stand alone categories and might just be where they went wrong if that's what was intended.
All that aside, Rutger Hauer was good again as a villain and some the shots and production values saved this from being an absolute stinker. I can't help but think Hauer might have made a good Terminator.
Right from the opening we're subjected to the idiocy of the lead picking up a hitch hiker (despite his momma having told him never to do so). Poor choices and bad judgement abound at every opportunity from there on in along with numerous plot holes, time line errors and implausibilities all cast aside to keep the contrived suspense moving along.
I was especially fond of how you can drive and drive for hours without seeing any sign of civilization, yet if forced to abandon the car or proceed on foot, a settlement or other such place is just right around the corner or over the next hill.
I don't mind C. Thomas Howell at all but I was really wanting to see his blood spilled everywhere more and more as the film progressed. He was just so damned annoying and irritating. Not only was he annoyingly irritating and stupid, but so too were the cops right through the film who are portrayed as (literally and figuratively) cowboys.
After seeing part of the looking back doco on the extra features where they boast of it's multi genre appeal and debate if the film should be a horror, thriller or action film and tell us it's a little bit of each; I must admit they were correct. It's decidedly average though in all three stand alone categories and might just be where they went wrong if that's what was intended.
All that aside, Rutger Hauer was good again as a villain and some the shots and production values saved this from being an absolute stinker. I can't help but think Hauer might have made a good Terminator.