Why Did “Gemin-Kinomir” Buy This “Joy Ride”?
It’s an unsolvable mystery why “Gemin-Kinomir” bought such a gray mouse like “Joy Ride” amidst all the blockbusters. The problems are currently only in the German branch of this distribution company called “Kinowelt” - they are indeed failing and going bankrupt.
Our company still has a reliable major, “Fox,” and corresponding prospects. So, we need to recover after the blow, not be secretive. But what are they offering us? It would be better if this “mouse” featured one of our cherished national favorites: some Rutger Hauer from “The Hitcher.” Our people are devoted and loyal, they’ll take any old stuff. But no: no Hauer and no one at all, except for the young Paul Walker, who hasn’t even managed to become famous since “The Fast and the Furious,” is in the film. But people won’t go to see Walker until the New Year, when they realize that he is now a star, and there are still two months until the New Year. It’s incomprehensible. We don’t know the directors’ names at all, and if you advertise John Dahl, even though his “Red Rock West” is systematically shown on TV, it will only confuse people. Moreover, advertising the direction of such a gray mouse is a thankless task. Overall, the question “why am I sitting and watching this” turns out to be the most interesting part of watching “Joy Ride” for an hour and a half.
Well, it’s a thriller, a road movie. A student goes to pick up his idiot brother from prison, and then together they drive on to visit his girlfriend in another state. Their four-wheeled wreck has a cool gadget: a radio that allows them to chat with other drivers within a five-mile radius who are bored behind the wheel. The brother encourages the student to prank one of the invisible interlocutors. To speak in a female voice and make a date in a motel room. They do it, and when they get to the motel, they check into the next room to have some fun. That’s where the terrible revenge begins, although not according to Gogol or Hegel, but according to the pages of all the old American road thrillers combined. In the morning, the resident of the ill-fated appointed room is found mutilated, and the brothers’ wreck is being followed. A big truck is chasing them and playing all sorts of pranks. This goes on until the very end.
Well, they drove around on night roads, well, they taught the brothers a lesson for a harmless prank. But all this has been done a thousand times in all sorts of “hitchhikers” and “bachelor parties,” from the Coens’ “Blood Simple” to Spielberg’s “Duel.” Maybe John Dahl decided to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Spielberg’s film debut? But the gift is also cheap. All the suspense is somehow amateurish - only the lazy haven’t watched Hitchcock today. The girl who gets involved in the story (Leelee Sobieski) has a face as if she is about to cry all the time. You don’t invite such people to anniversaries. And the black humor with naked butts in McDonald’s is also not funny at all, because it doesn’t end with anything. The truck ordered the brothers to strip naked, go and buy six cheeseburgers per person - they stripped, went, bought, dressed, and drove on.
The chase at night through the cornfield is well done - that’s true. But in real horror movies like “Air Corn,” it’s done better.
In general, the only really good thing about this film is that it’s good to sleep on.