ROAD GAMES (1981) review

"Road Games"

Directed by Richard Franklin

Written by Everett De Roche

Road Games is a Australian thriller, little seen by the U.S., revolving around a truck driver named Quid (Stacy Keach) who is delivering packages through the Australian outback with his trusty dog (or what he thinks is a Dingo), Boswell. During this time, he is listening to the radio out of boredom and hears announcements of a local serial killer killing women.

One thing leads to another, and Quid ends up picking up a mysterious hitchhiker (Jamie Lee Curtis) who he just calls Hitch. The two decide to find the killer themselves. Knowing he drives a green van, after spotting it in the desert where the killer was digging a hole for a dead female corpse.

Through their hunt for the killer, the two of course build a special bond together. Romantic, yes. But more of a strong friendship. Quid's a loner. Hitch is a runaway.

Things take a massive turn when Hitch is kidnapped by the killer at an autobody, right in broad daylight.

The film is not bad by any stretch of the imagination. But quite slow paced and a little boring at times. Nothing that you wish would happen, really happens. There are some intense moments here and there, but nothing that really keeps your full attention all the way through. Certainly drags and doesn't quite pick up until the third act.

However, the performance by Stacy Keach (yes, a little dated at times with the delivery of the dialogue) is the stand out. Quite possibly one of his best performances next to Burt Kennedy's The Killer Inside Me. Keach has quite a bit of scenes where he's just talking to himself, driving his truck. Sometimes about nonsense. Other times about the killer. Should he go after the killer? Or should he keep it to himself?

The lighting of this film is very creepy. The tone I got from this film really reminded me of other 80s road thrillers like The Hitcher.

If you're heavily into oz-ploatation, I certainly recommend this film, but if you're an average joe -schmo, there's not much true excitement in this. I'm sure seeing it for the first time back in 1981 was much more of a thriller than it is now.

It is certainly dated and isn't really scary, but it's certainly realistic and gives you a bird's eye view of the isolation a truck driver can have. Especially in the Australian outback.