Jeepers Creepers

Written and directed by Victor Salva, Jeepers Creepers follows siblings Trish (Gina Philips) and Darry (Justin Long) as their cross-country drive is interrupted by a mysterious and deadly figure known as the Creeper (Jonathan Breck) – with the narrative detailing the pair’s efforts at getting help and, eventually, escaping from the Creeper’s clutches. There’s little doubt that Salva delivers an almost astonishingly effective opening stretch, as the filmmaker offers up affable, sympathetic protagonists and places them within the confines of a promisingly pared-down scenario – with the strength of the movie’s first act heightened by stylish, atmospheric visuals and the superb work from both Philips and Long. And although the picture remains quite watchable throughout, Jeepers Creepers admittedly does suffer from a second act that’s not quite as enthralling as one might’ve hoped – with the central characters’ penchant for making boneheaded decisions certainly compounding the comparatively underwhelming vibe. It’s nevertheless increasingly difficult to resist the mostly striking bent of Salva’s narrative, with the ongoing inclusion of memorable sequences (eg the Creeper attacks a cop car) paving the way for an unexpectedly engrossing climax that’s capped off with a fairly unforgettable finale – which confirms the movie’s place as a better-than-average horror effort that works more often than it doesn’t.

*** out of ****