MOTHER TRUCKIN’ MAY: JOY RIDE (2001)
JOY RIDE is one of those early aughts films that I took for granted. It was part of that era when The WB taught Hollywood that teens and tweens would throw money down to see their crushes. Which inevitably meant more horror because my generation is unprecedented and needs some fun scares to help us cope with the world. So, we saw all kinds of films, land fast and furious at the box office. Whether they were good, bad, or in between, they each felt like a moment but were quickly discarded for the next. However, I revisited JOY RIDE a couple of years ago and think it’s one of the better road trip horror films to come out of that era.
JOY RIDE begins with two estranged brothers taking an unexpected road trip. Lewis (Paul Walker) discovers his brother has been arrested while en route to pick up his best friend. He bails Fuller (Steve Zahn) out, and they embark on an awkward drive. Fuller gets his hands on a CB radio, and they decide to listen to truckers as a way to pass the time. Things take a turn when they decide to play a prank on a driver who goes by the handle Rusty Nail. He does not find their prank funny and decides they should die because of it. After a scary confrontation, the boys finish their trip and pick up Lewis’ friend Venna (Leelee Sobieski), only to find out Rusty Nail wasn’t done terrorizing them yet. This leads to a chaotic final battle at a motel and Chekhov’s Truck finally getting some real action.
Ted Levine lends his voice to this road rager, and he goes hard on the rasp and spite. He understood the assignment too well and is the main reason this movie works. His vocal choices as Rusty Nail alert us our characters have found trouble long before they piss him off. I marvel at Levine’s performance each rewatch and hope I’m not the only sicko taking notes for my own future script shenanigans.
Many of us showed up for the late Paul Walker, who was a common crush for many millennials of that time. However, I was mostly interested because I adored Steve Zahn. He had stolen enough scenes as supporting characters in some of my favorite indie comedies to make me a fan. The film also starred Leelee Sobieski, who was being primed to be an "it girl" at that time. She had even done a couple of other thrillers, so she was starting to be a familiar face in my genre. As a tween, this cast was enough to put this on my radar. I figured there would be a road trip involved, and maybe a couple of hijinks because Zahn is always good for a laugh. However, what I got was a bit more than that.
I am not going to lie and say JOY RIDE aged well. Sadly, very few things from that era have withstood the test of time. I am also not here to pretend it is the best distant brothers on a road trip title out there. Yet, there is something chilling about the disembodied voice of the angry trucker. It is the kind of terror that calls back to the olden days of horror and rattles you. This film is not on the same wavelength as WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979), SCREAM, or BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974). However, it is akin to that feeling of whichever Stephen King book got under your skin at an early age. The one that made you realize there are various kinds of scares, and some of them are a little too effective. After all, the angry voice of an older man who wants to hunt down the youth is possibly one of this genre's greatest weapons. This movie utilizes it in some pretty eerie ways that elevate it from its humble beginnings.
If you are in the mood for a nostalgic aughts horror moment, JOY RIDE is a slick title with big summer energy. Again, it is not a perfect film, and some of the supposed jokes earn it bombastic side-eye. However, there is so much to like about this movie that it is difficult to not enjoy the ride a little. So, let Rusty Nail remind you why disembodied voices are key elements in some of the most iconic horror films. Buckle up and live your best nostalgic millennial life!
