The Car (1977)

Often criticized as being Jaws in the desert, Elliot Silverstein's The Car is a straightforward thriller that plays a lot more like Steven Spielberg's earlier classic Duel, which was also about a killer vehicle in a barren wasteland. While the film does feature a number of exciting car stunts and is sharply lensed in widescreen, it continuously sinks itself with a combination of ridiculous scripting and bad acting. Looking at the film from a different perspective, however, those same negatives, when combined with the overly serious tone and the wacky, sped-up chase scenes, make the film a humorous watch. The car itself is not fully revealed until nearly halfway through and is in keeping with the film's cartoonish feel. Customized by George Barris, it is a highly modified machine with a huge front bumper and two headlights that look like eyes. It is accompanied by the throaty roar of a racing engine and a constantly blaring horn. Stars James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Farley, and Ronny Cox (who is constantly on the verge of tears) are somber to the point of being laughable. Lloyd has one particularly awful scene in which she insults the car from the safety of holy ground. Thankfully, the screenplay by Dennis Shryack, Michael Butler, and Lane Slate (three writers!) stays focused on the action, although it does stray into two extraneous subplots involving domestic abuse and alcoholism. The stuntwork by Everett Creach is the film's strongest suit, the highlight being an amusing but cool sideways flip by the car onto two oncoming police vehicles. Special effects by Albert Whitlock are saved for an apocalyptic finish that appears phony and cheap. ~ Patrick Legare, All Movie Guide