JEEPERS CREEPERS
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2001 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2
You have just seen a creepy looking stranger dump two dead bodies out of his
truck. Do you drive away as fast as you can, or do you go and investigate? If
you happen to find yourself in a formula horror picture like Victor Salva's
JEEPERS CREEPERS, the decision, of course, is obvious. As Trish (Gina Philips)
explains it to her brother, Darryl (Justin Long), "You know the part in a scary
movie where someone does something really stupid? This is it."
Salva has studied the horror movie rule book well. Cell phones, if present,
will always have low batteries or get no signal. All warnings will be ignored.
People will stay and stare at a killer in action when any thinking person would
beat a fast exit. Characters will basically do one stupid thing after
another.
What JEEPERS CREEPERS has going for it are a few genuinely scary scenes enhanced
by odd camera angles and sharp editing. The performances by the two leads are
good, better than the movie deserves. As they argue about things important and
trivial, their chemistry is genuine, and their sibling relationship always
credible. My favorite character, however, wasn't human. It was the truck -- a
bizarre cross between a World War I tank, a train cowcatcher and a farmer's old
pickup. One look at this rusting hulk of a vehicle and you know that you don't
want to be caught within miles of it.
JEEPERS CREEPERS is little more than a standard horror flick, but at least it
doesn't go for camp. One thing is for sure. After watching this film, you may
never want to take a leisurely drive down an old country road as Trish and
Darryl did. It'll be a nice, safe highway for you.
JEEPERS CREEPERS runs 1:30. It is rated R for "terror violence/gore, language
and brief nudity," and would be acceptable for most teenagers
The film opens nationwide in the United States today, Friday, August 31, 2001.
In the Silicon Valley, it is showing at the AMC and the Century theaters.
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