DVD Movie Rating for: Joy Ride

4 out of 5

Movie Plot of: Joy Ride

The plot concerns Lewis Thomas (Paul Walker), a young man who decides to go cross-country to pick up his high school sweetheart, Venna Wilcox (Leelee Sobieski), from college. On his way there, he bails his brother, Fuller Thomas (Steve Zahn), out of jail. Fuller, looking for a good time, decides to ride with Lewis. During their trip to pick up Venna, Fuller coaxes Lewis into playing a cruel joke, through their CB radio, on a truck driver, known only as 'Rusty Nail' (voiced by Ted Levine). When the joke takes a deadly turn, Lewis, Venna, and Fuller find themselves being relentlessly stalked by the psychotic truck driver who is looking for more than an apology.

DVD Production Details of: Joy Ride

Starring: Leelee Sobieski

Director: John Dahl

Format: Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby

Studio: Twentieth Century Fox Home Video

DVD Release Date: October 22, 2002
DVD Features:
Commentary by director John Dahl, Steve Zahn, Leelee Sobieski and writers Clay Tarver and J.J. Abrams

Theatrical trailer(s)

29-minute alternate ending plus 4 alternative endings

Voice auditions for the villian with "More Than One Rusty Nail" feature

"Making Of" featurette

Deleted scene

Widescreen anamorphic format

DVD Easter Eggs

From the disc's Main Menu go to the 'Special Features' section where you select 'Deleted Scenes.' That will take you to a screen listing the cast members for the deleted scenes and alternate endings, and at the bottom of that screen you will notice two road-sign-shaped icons for back and continue, respectively. Select the 'Continue' sign and then press the 'Up' arrow key on your remote control, to highlight the taillights of the car on the screen. Press 'Enter' now to view the DVD production credits.

Cast of the movie: Joy Ride

• Steve Zahn .... Fuller Thomas
• Paul Walker .... Lewis Thomas
• Leelee Sobieski .... Venna
• Jessica Bowman .... Charlotte
• Stuart Stone .... Danny (Lewis's Roommate)
• Basil Wallace .... Car Salesman
• Brian Leckner .... Officer Keeney
• Mary Wickliffe .... Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
• McKenzie Satterthwaite .... Assistant Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
• Dell Yount .... Gas Station Mechanic
• Kenneth White .... Ronald Ellinghouse
• Luis Cortés .... Night Manager (as Luis Cortes)
• Michael McCleery .... Officer Akins
• Jim Beaver .... Sheriff Ritter
• Rachel Singer .... Gas Station Manager

Photo Gallery of the movie: Joy Ride

Click on one of the thumbnails to see the full size, high resolution photographs

Joy Ride

Reviews of the movie: Joy Ride

Joy Ride follows the familiar conventions of road-movie thrillers with enough vitality to make everything old seem new again. A confirmed master of neo-noir suspense, director John Dahl (Red Rock West, The Last Seduction) sets a consistent tone of humor and horror as Lewis (Paul Walker) and his black-sheep brother Fuller (Steve Zahn) drive from Salt Lake City to pick up Lewis's friend Venna (Leelee Sobieski) in Boulder, Colorado. En route, they play a practical joke via CB radio, inviting vengeful terror as an unseen trucker (voiced with exquisite menace by Silence of the Lambs villain Ted Levine) pursues them with relentless, homicidal aggression. Inevitable comparisons to Steven Spielberg's Duel fail to appreciate Dahl's unique talent for energizing B-movie formulas while injecting his own brand of rib-tickling excitement. While Zahn deserves extra credit in his first top-billed role, Joy Ride wins a badge of honor for everyone involved

Very exciting and heart-pounding thriller by John Dahl
Joy Ride takes what could've turned into a standard thriller and actually adds a real good kick to it, which is in the form of well placed direction and good acting by the cast. The story takes us on a journey with 2 brothers (Steve Zahn and Paul Walker) who have a new (used) car to drive across country. Also with them is a intercom radio in the car, and what starts as a practical joke with them disguising themselves as a woman to dupe another trucker, turns into their worst nightmare when the trucker starts to stalk them down. Laced with great thrilling scenes, and an ending which ranks as one of the best so far this millennium. The 12 cheeseburger scene is a fine example of terror mixed with humor. Leele Sobieski also stars as Walker's would be girlfriend who joins the two midway in the picture