Joy Ride

Director: John Dahl John Dahl

Overview

"Terror hits the highways in the fast-paced thriller Joy Ride. Fox has done a very presentable job on this 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Sporting very solid colors and black levels, this is a nearly flawless transfer, save for a few instances of brief edge enhancement. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 in English, as well as Dolby 2.0 Surround in English and French. The 5.1 soundtrack does a very manageable job of utilizing directional effects in multiple key scenes. This is a very aggressive soundtrack that should give any home theater a sweaty workout. All aspects of this mix are free of any excessive distortion or hiss. Also included on this disc are subtitles in English and Spanish. The area where Joy Ride really shines is in its supplemental materials. Starting off this disc are no less than three commentary tracks with various cast and crew members, the first with director John Dahl, a second with writers Clay Tarver and J.J. Abrams, and a third with actors Steve Zahn and Leelee Sobieski. Taken as a whole, these commentaries are all thoroughly engrossing and exceptionally peppered with many stories, anecdotes, and information on the production of the film. Next up are some alternate endings and a deleted scene from the film. The alternate endings are well worth watching, even if the film's original ending was the best choice. The cut sequences are all available with optional commentary by the director. The voice auditions for the character Rusty Nail are also fascinating, though once again the filmmakers were smart to stick with actor Ted Levine (famous for his role as the killer in The Silence of the Lambs) for the creepy truck driver's voice. Finally there is a short production featurette on the making of the film that includes various interviews, movie clips, and other promotional materials, and a theatrical trailer for the film. This is a great edition of Joy Ride that should please any suspense/action moviegoer."

Product Details

Release Date:	03/12/2002
UPC:	0024543036258
Original Release:	2001
Rating:	R
Source:	20TH CENTURY FOX
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:36:00
Sales rank:	17,596

Special Features

29-minute alternate ending; 4 new endings; Anamorphic widescreen (aspect ratio 2.35:1); Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Surround, English Dolby Surround, French Dolby Surround; Subtitles: English, Spanish

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Steve Zahn	Fuller
Paul Walker	Lewis
Leelee Sobieski	Venna
Jessica Bowman	Charlotte
Brian Leckner	Off. Keeney
Kenneth White	Ronald Ellinghouse
Jim Beaver	Sheriff Ritter
Stuart Stone	Danny, Lewis's Roommate
Basil Wallace	Car Salesman
Mary Wickliffe	Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
McKenzie Satterthwaite	Asst. Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
Dell Yount	Gas Station Mechanic
Luis Cortes	Night Manager
Michael McCleery	Officer Akins
Rachel Singer	Gas Station Manager
Satch Huizenga	Ice Truck Man
Terry Leonard	Bartender
James McDonald	Local in Nebraska Bar
Gwenda Deacon	Truck Stop Waitress
Robert Winley	Truck Stop Manager
Ali Gage	Waitress
Jack Moore	Hotwire Consultant
Hugh Dane	Man at Door
Lee Stepp	Traveling Salesman
Jay Hernandez	Marine
Huey Redwine	Policeman No. 1
John Maynard	Policeman No. 2
Peter Weireter	Policeman No. 3
Ted Levine	Rusty Nail
Marco Beltrami	Composer

Technical Credits

Clay Tarver

J.J. Abrams

Clay Tarver	Screenwriter
J.J. Abrams	Screenwriter,Producer
John Dahl	Director
Mali Finn	Casting
Bridget Johnson	Executive Producer
Matt Kutcher	Special Effects
Terry Leonard	Stunts
Patrick Markey	Executive Producer
Arnon Milchan	Executive Producer
Chris Moore	Producer
Emily Schweber	Casting

Editorial Reviews

With Joy Ride, director John Dahl abandons the sophisticated plotting of his earlier films, Red Rock West and The Last Seduction, in favor of more visceral thrills, and it pays off with a suspenseful and darkly comic kick. The script, by Clay Tarver and Felicity co-creator J.J. Abrams, cribs from the TV movie that put Steven Spielberg on the map, Duel. It has a surfeit of wit and strong, believable characters, which is good, because in less assured hands it could have been a routine teen horror flick. Dahl gets the most out of his talented young cast, especially Steve Zahn as Fuller, the dangerously reckless, but oddly charming and surprisingly resourceful older brother. In past films, Zahn has overplayed his goofball charm, but here he finds just the right balance between imprudent jerk and lovable scoundrel. Fuller, Lewis (Paul Walker), and Venna (Leelee Sobieski) come across as real people. It's easy to see how their supposed anonymity leads the brothers to feel that they'll get away with their cruel CB radio prank, and their reactions to the horrible situation they find themselves in are unassailably rational. This draws the audience in to the scary story. Dahl knows how to build suspense. His dark palette is filled with eerie taillight reds, and the occasional roar of a passing tractor-trailer jarringly disrupts the quiet of his middle-of-nowhere highway locations. The mysterious trucker, known only by his CB handle Rusty Nail, is a frightening villain -- righteously angry, powerful, and relentless. The scene in which Fuller and Lewis listen helplessly through the motel wall as he maims his first victim is a restrained masterpiece of horror, and perfectly sets up all the tension to come.