Search - Joy Ride on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Nudity, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 2001 DVD Release: 03/12/2002 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 36 mins Studio: 20th Century Fox Total Copies: 89 Genres: Thriller, Road Movie, Psychological Thriller

After forays into film noir, thrillers, dramas, and even documentaries, director John Dahl tries the teen horror genre on for size. Paul Walker stars as Lewis Thomas, a college freshman embarking on a cross-country road trip during summer break to pick up his girlfriend Venna (Leelee Sobieski). Along for the ride is Lewis' brother Fuller (Steve Zahn), a practical joker who uses the car's CB radio to play a cruel prank on a lonely trucker known only by the handle Rusty Nail. The victim of Fuller's gag turns out to be a psychotic murderer and soon the brothers are being pursued by the relentless stalker, who gets his revenge in gruesome fashion. Joy Ride, which co-stars Matthew Kimbrough, was produced under the working title "Squelch." ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Steve Zahn - Fuller Thomas
Paul Walker - Lewis Thomas
Leelee Sobieski - Venna
Jessica Bowman - Charlotte
Stuart Stone - Danny

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. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide