Joy Ride

Two brothers play a prank on a truck driver over CB radio during a road trip. The driver does not take it as a joke and comes after them. The film's most effective decision is never showing the villain: Rusty Nail is a voice from beginning to end. John Dahl directed, from a screenplay by Clay Tarver and J. J. Abrams. Ted Levine provides Rusty Nail's voice. Development began in July 1999 under the working title Squelch. Shooting ran across Nevada, California and Utah. Several actors were considered before Paul Walker and Steve Zahn were cast, with Leelee Sobieski completing the trio. The ending was unsettled for a long time. The DVD carries a 29-minute alternate finale plus four shorter variations; the theatrical version is the only one that leaves Rusty Nail alive. It premiered at Toronto on 9 September 2001 and opened in the US on 5 October. It went out as Road Kill in the UK and Roadkill in Australia. On a 23 million dollar budget it grossed 36.6 million. Roger Ebert gave it three and a half stars out of four and compared the antagonist to Michael Myers. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 74 percent. Two direct-to-video sequels followed. Who it is for: viewers who like road thrillers and the idea of a threat you never see. Who it is not for: anyone looking for logic. In the third act the trucker is everywhere and knows everything, and that is the film's weakest seam.