Roadgames

Directed by Richard Franklin, Roadgames follows truck driver Pat Quid (Stacy Keach) as he becomes embroiled in a game of cat and mouse with a prolific murderer of women. Filmmaker Franklin, armed with a script by Everett De Roche, admittedly does a superb job of initially luring the viewer into the increasingly underwhelming proceedings, as Roadgames kicks off with a stirring, entertaining opening stretch that establishes the affable, loquacious central character to exceedingly agreeable effect. (The memorable credits sequence only enhances the promising vibe, to be sure.) It’s disappointing to note, then, that Roadgames‘ grip on the viewer is slowly-but-surely loosened by a hit-and-miss, meandering midsection, with Franklin’s decision to emphasize the protagonist’s low-key and almost episodic exploits paving the way for a decidedly (and distressingly) uninvolving second half (ie very little of this is as interesting or as tense as Franklin has presumably intended, ultimately). And although the climax is admittedly (and comparatively) quite engaging, Roadgames has long-since confirmed its place as a half-baked endeavor that rarely, if ever, lives up to the promise of its initial few minutes.

*1/2 out of ****