El justiciero

"Midnight Ride" is a film about a psychopath who is picked up while hitchhiking. This alone is very hard to believe. Why would a woman who is running away from her bully husband stop to pick up a strange man? And, when she has the chance to escape once she realizes he's dangerous, why wouldn't she run? And, when she does run, why doesn't she get the police? Yes, I know the husband is also a cop...but at least stop at a fire station, town hall, shopping mall, or McDonald's to get help???? And, why would the husband who is out looking for her bother to stop and then pick up the guy? Sure, he's a cop and the guy in the middle of the road looks like he's in trouble, but the cop is off duty and looking for his runaway wife! And, when two cars collide, why would they explode like the cars are filled with 20 tons of TNT (in real life, cars very rarely explode)? The bottom line is that there is enough plot here to make a 30 minute TV episode...but stretching it out to feature film length just exposes the many, many, many plot problems.

Now I am NOT saying the film is 100% bad. Mark Hamill plays a ridiculous villain....but he plays him well and with glee...almost like when he's voicing the Joker in Batman cartoons! Hamill fans might really enjoy seeing this...and I thought his acting was fun. But the movie, otherwise, makes little sense. My only reason to see it was to see Robert Mitchum in a supporting role but sadly it sure takes a while to see him in the movie. Overall, a really dumb film that manages to entertain even if the writing simply makes little sense.

Michael Dudikoff stars as Lawson a police officer who tracks down Justin a hitch-hiker who has kidnapped Lawson's wife Lara in this so-so actioner that benefits from some pretty decent actionscenes as well as Mark Hamill's over the top performance make this one mildly diverting. Robert Mitchum also lends some class as Hamill's doctor.

Even halfway through this film, I would not have recommended it. Now I would watch it again. It seems like one of those weak plotted, thrown together films with dull and boring driving scenes. And there is plenty of that. But it is not the plot. Nor is it stunning acting. So what is it about this film that works? Strong, pressing acting, without letting up. Each lull in the "action" precipitates more progression towards anticlimax. It gains a hidden rhythm and timing which turns what would seem to me to have been the most boring movie of the month, if not of the year, into something that stands on its own. Incidentally, they must have spent a small fortune on explosive materials. For a film having only four leading actors, Michael Dudikoff, Mark Hamill, Savina Gersak and then finally, Robert Mitchum, who plays this kind of role well, there was more going on than normal observation revealed. It comes out as a strange film and if you appreciate the way these things come together with a good, full cast, then watch it all the way through. After it is over, you'll like it. Then when you think about it, you'll like it a little more. Very odd. In fact, as I consider it now, part of the character of the film borrows from the style of older horror films made in the 50's and early 60's.

Not bad action film, with Dudikoff in relentless pursuit of his runaway wife. Seems she has had no trouble giving psychopath Hamill a ride to his Psychiatrist, Mitchum. This movie has plenty of truck size plot holes. Cops are portrayed merely as targets for Hammil's knife or gun. Realism flies out the window early, never to return. Nevertheless, things seem to move along at a frantic pace. If you can forgive the sparse character development, just go along for the ride with your brain in neutral. What Robert Mitchum is doing in this film is a huge question? His part could easily been played by any no name actor. Worth watching for Hammil's over the top performance, but just barely. MERK.

The basic plot, A young Russian woman named Laura (Savina Gersak) leaves her husband who also happens to be a cop, later on she picks up a young hitchhiker Justin McKay (Mark Hamil) who surprise surprise turns out to be a psychopath and takes her hostage while he goes on a killing spree so he can meet up with his Doctor, while her cop husband is in hot pursuit.

Midnight Ride is a bit of a strange movie, as it tries to blend Action and slasher together and it works most of the time, as I found this movie a hell of a fun ride, although it does having plot holes and lacks suspense, but all that can be forgiven. Mark Hamil plays a part a million light years away from Luke Skywalker here playing a psychopath, which I rather enjoyed, although it was a bit hammy and unconvincing at times. Michael Dudikoff plays the cop husband pretty well, I found him very charming and capable as the leading man. But I didn't find Savina Gersak very convincing at all, she's supposed to be the terrified victim, but I found her very weak and disappointing and I think that this movie would have been better if they had a better actress in that part.

The film has some really great action moments. In particular, there's a terrific Mardi Gras Massacre sequence that's one for the books. Some of the action toward the end is hit and miss (Dudikoff's encounters with the Pentangle in the swamp is kinda anti-climatic) but the finale is thoroughly awesome. It also manages to have its share of solid action beats (the bus chase was pretty good). Plus, it moves along at a steady clip, which helps make you forget about the lapses in logic. But overall I found this movie fun and entertaining, the scenes with Mark Hamil are the real highlight even if they were hysterically funny, like when he tries to attack a female victim, But I did enjoy the final scenes between him and Dudikoff in the steam factory and the hospital scene.

So all in all okay Midnight Ride is a copy of the far superior Hitcher, but it's not a bad one and this should get a DVD release, because I enjoyed it.