Race with the Devil (1975)

This horror-action hybrid is built on an inspired idea but the finished product falls short of the possibilities it offered. The key problem lies with the script, which glosses over the more interesting and potentially disturbing angles of the story to create a rather mundane cocktail of action and suspense. It also suffers from thin characterizations; the biggest victims in this area are the two wives, who are written as a pair of panicky, helpless shrinking violets. Despite these key problems, Race With the Devil remains quite watchable thanks to solid acting and direction. The best performances come from Peter Fonda and Warren Oates, who effectively utilize their low-key charisma to flesh out their underwritten roles, and R.G. Armstrong, who is quietly menacing as a suspicious sheriff. Race With the Devil also moves at a fast clip thanks to the skillful direction of Jack Starrett, who maintains a solid balance between car-chase thrills and skin-crawling scares. However, the fine work behind and in front of the camera can't outrun the script's hackneyed moments or its bungled surprise ending. As a result, Race With the Devil never rises above the level of cheap thrills. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide