The Wraith

The Wraith, in it's basic storyline, is good and, at times, exciting but there are many flaws.

I feel this film could have been a lot better had the director created a faster moving storyline and less frustrating. Charlie Sheen is here as eye candy for the ladies and shows no real acting talent. The closest thing to talent seen is that of nick cassavetes, whos portrayal of the evil villain is menacing.

There are many scenes which drag on and the film is intermingled with confusing flashbacks. These flashbacks are meant to open the audience up to the past events but end up making you wonder what it was trying to tell you.

The film does have some good points however, mainly the soundtrack. The music throughout the film is true eighties. This soundtrack gives the film a very positive setting. It was also good to see Randy Quaid making the most a role that, unfortunately, held no hope or realism.

Overall, the film is based on a very good idea but is let down by it's confusing plot and direction.

The Wraith is one if the coolest "car movies" ever and is bound to be a cult classic. Featuring 'Cudas, Corvettes, Dodge Daytonas, Triumphs and a supercharged Pontiac Trans Am, the Wraith has a classic collection of cool cars. A young Charile Sheen stars as the wraith who rides into town in his mysterious "Turbo Interceptor" and takes revenge on a gang of no good road pirates. The Turbo Interceptor was way ahead of its time when the movie was filmed but now seems a bit cheap. The car racing sequences were pretty well shot and still stand up today.

The Wraith features a rockin' 80s soundtrack with music performed by Bily Idol, Robert Palmer, Motley Crue and even Ozzy Osbuorne. Randy Quaid, Clint Howard and Nick Cassavetes round out a cast of strange supporting actors. A very young Brooke Burke makes an appearance as a car-hop at Big Kay Burgers and Steven Eckholdt also has a small part as the "Daytona Boy." Though the Wraith is filled with terrible acting and the special effects are dated, it is still a fun ride. The Turbo Interceptor's "special feature" is still unbelievable and a lot of fun even after all these years.

If you're a big fan of the Mad Max/Road Warrior films or of street racing movies like The Fast and the Furious, I think you'll really like this movie. You may have to be a big car enthusiast or a big Charlie Sheen fan to really love this film. The Wraith is rated PG-13 though it does contain some mild violence and partial nudity/sexuality. Bad acting makes this film a bit cheesy but the fast cars and racing sequences are a lot of fun. The Wraith is a way cool "vehicle" for Charlie Sheen.

Cool Car Rating: 8/10

Overall Movie Rating 6/10

-"A what man?"

-"A Wraith man! A ghost, an evil spirit and it ain't cool."

Back in 1986, The Wraith just about qualified as a moderately entertaining alternative should the video rental shop be all out of copies of Aliens or Top Gun; however, when watched twenty three years later from a nostalgic point of view, this silly supernatural revenge flick actually proves to be a whole heap of fun. Charlie Sheen's lifeless performance; the sheer naffness of the race scenes; an ever-present pop/rock soundtrack; Nick Cassavetes' ridiculously nasty boo-hiss bad guy; a collection of annoying comic-book punks with idiotic names and silly mannerisms: The Wraith is perfect for anyone looking for some mindless popcorn action and a bit of a laugh at the expense of the decade that taste forgot.

Sheen plays a restless spirit who returns from the afterlife in a turbo charged ghost car to seek revenge on the reprehensible road pirates responsible for his death, rescue roller waitress Keri (the scorching Sherilyn Fenn) from the clutches of psychotic killer Packard Walsh (Cassavetes), and say goodbye to his younger brother Billy (Matthew Barry).

Although the film's star isn't really given that much to do (for much of the time, Sheen's character is hidden behind he wheel of his otherworldly car or in a silly cyberpunk suit and black full-face helmet), the excellent supporting cast more than make up for his absence: Randy Quaid is great as a desert cop trying to make sense of the carnage; Clint Howard gives another memorable performance as a mechanic with crazy hair; and Fenn is effortlessly sexy, and gets her top off once or twice during proceedings.

With more cheese than one of the burgers served up by Keri at the Big K bar, The Wraith is a great time-waster and recommended to all fans of 80s cult cinema.

Well, this movie is one of those half-forgotten gems of this cool decade. As a child I use to rent this movie over and over again but then I forgot it's name when I grew older. Recently, when I started to look for old cult 80s, I stumbled upon this little nice saga. The story is ridiculous but quite entertaining (I love revenge ;)) and there are many strange plot-holes through the whole movie. So why bother renting or buying this old s*** you may ask? Well if you are a child of the 80s and saw it back then, it can bring back some nice memories. If you are from that time but have not seen it, you MUST see it. Everyone else, just see it and enjoy a movie with one of the greatest cars ever on screen. For those who have seen it I just must make some statements of some of the major flaws in the film. How come that the police just let the thugs steal all the nerds cars in a small town like this? (very strange) And why don't the stupid morons see that they're next to die on the list when their buddies fall off one buy one. No fear at all...=) Well... all and all a funny flash-back. You know from like ten minutes into the movie how the end will be, but you'll KEEP on looking...

No, I'm not necessarily crazy about cars and car chases, and I'm no big fan of horror either, and yes, it's clear from the first scene that this is a 'B' movie,... but this really must be one of the greatest 'B' movies ever made, maybe one of the greatest films of all time!! (and believe me, I've seen a lot of films).

There is just something about the way this film starts and moves like an unstoppable force towards its conclusion. It's almost like all the characters around the Wraith instinctively know who he really is, and what is going to happen to them ultimately (you can see it in their eyes), and yet somehow, they seem to be irresistibly drawn into his web, lost in their own pride, entangled in their own rules of engagement, and misguided by their own sheer foolhardiness. and so the film goes from one inevitability to the next, with each person remaining true to himself/herself.

There are also some really memorable-crazy characters in the film, who add some light relief to what I think is a very serious film about human destiny; how we each help to create our own reality and then have to deal with it. To anyone who hasn't seen this film, give it a try (if you can find it) and keep an open mind. This not a high-tech blockbuster movie, but it's definitely a high-intelligence movie.