Wrong Way

This movie is flawless. The characters, the plot, dialogue, and the hauntingly beautiful scenery combine to make a movie that is breathtaking. The story is plausible and fascinating, the timing perfect. George O'Brien (Jim Metzler) plays a clean-cut, yuppyish computer executive who takes off from Southern California to set up a new operation in Reno with almost half a million dollars in embezzled money in the trunk of his car (Volvo, of course). He suddenly finds himself on a collision course with a different world when he stops on a lonely stretch of highway near Death Valley and picks up a young couple who have rolled their car on the side of the highway. The duo, perky Patti (Jennifer Rubin) and her sickly companion Chevy (Kyle Secor), quickly turn out to be far more trouble than George could ever have imagined.

The way the personalities of the characters unfold is psychological drama at its absolute finest. At first George cringes at the sophomoric banter of his two passengers, a sleazy gambler and his part-showgirl, part-prostitute "better half." But things get really edgy as George tries to part ways with the luckless pair, and soon he finds himself and his car taken hostage at the point of a gun.

As the story moves forward forward at an even pace, so does the viewer's insight into the complex personalities of the three main characters. Patti is as much a survivor as Chevy is a pathological and abusive hoodlum.

This is one production that deserves to be watched thoughtfully and attentively. Every piece of dialogue, even the smallest gesture, carries its own bit of symbolism, clues to the troubled lives of the hitchhikers and the confusion and mounting terror felt by their unwilling host. This movie accomplishes more with body language than others achieve with the most spectacular visual effects. Even minor characters like Robert Costanzo, who plays a tawdry Las Vegas mobster, and Jerry Orbach as his inconvenient operative, are fascinating and memorable.

As a visual experience, this film is stunning. The vast, gorgeous desert scenery frames both players and plot with an awesome melancholy. A preacher appearing on a flickering television screen in a low-rent motel room is a metaphor for all that is hopeless, while the zombie-like Arabella, seen for scarcely a minute in a Vegas hotel suite, brings to mind an even more chilling image of woman as bimbo without a soul.

Patti, more than any character in this story, is full of contradictions. Her motives and choices can never be predicted, not from the vantage point of the viewer and certainly not by those with whom she must share this part of her life.

If the definitive mark of the film noir is the interaction between tragic, troubled people with conflicting agendas, this is the future face of the genre. It is truly a work of art; not a moment is without meaning. Delusion is a satisfying, mesmerizing movie, one that gets better and better with every viewing.

I looked around this web site and saw nothing that points out that Delusion is only available on VHS, which does the typical pan and scan butchering job on it. This is a widescreen film that can only been seen in widescreen on laserdisc. Remember laserdisc? This site used to be dedicated to it. Anyway, I think some are overrating this movie. Its not a bad film, its just not the masterpiece its being made out to be. Delusion does have that lonely highway thriller feel and some kooky characters, one of them being the very sexy Jennifer Rubin who's body is made for the cinema. The entertainment is in waiting for the next twist on the hot open road film locales. It's mostly B movie actors performing slightly above the norm, and that's where the freshness lies. Don't forget to sit through the credits if you want to see the further sexiness of Jennifer Rubin as she dances to a wicked cover of "These Boots Are Made For Walk'in".

Delusion is not a bad rendition of modern film noir, but it could be a WHOLE lot better if the characters in this movie were not so stupid, particularly the main character.

The jist of it is that a head executive of a computer company makes off with a hefty amount of cash after a company takeover. On his way to Reno, he runs into two very strange people who claim they need a lift to town. As it turns out, these people were expecting him because one of them have a contract out on the executive's life.

I say the characters are idiots because, and this especially goes for the main character (the executive), there is always ample opportunity for either one to kill another (there are many time when the executive and his hired killer both have guns to each other's heads) or for one person to get away (particularly the girl who's joined up with the killer. Except, no one ever seems to take that very fortunate opportunity, and so it becomes a very frustrating story to watch, knowing that the plot only continues because of idiotic hesitancy. I blame the writers for that, trying to fill in the wholes with impractical luck. Good modern film noir may give a slight opportuntity for getting away, but if the person decides to take it very quickly, they should be met with resistance equally quickly.

The story is nothing new. It's pretty much about a few cold-hearted murderers and one sleazy executive after a trunkload of cash, each pushed to the limit on what they're willing to do for the money. Typical film noir material.

But I think for many to enjoy this one, you'd just have to like trash crime and mystery tales, or enjoy the actors who appear in the film.

An entertaining late-night film (I found myself watching it at 1a.m. one night) with twists and turns a-plenty in the plot.

A computer whiz (Jim Metzler) who faces redundancy, is driving through the desert, fleeing with a vast sum of embezzled company funds, when he is duped into picking up a curious but seemingly harmless young couple (Kyle Secor and Jennifer Rubin) - unaware that, amongst other things, the seemingly goofy boyfriend is actually a professional killer hired to kill him. From there, things take numerous turns far too complex to attempt explaining here, but sufficient to say, there's a plot twist awaiting around every corner.

Just as the film sets out to follow one scenario - each of which would usually be sufficient for the entire plot of a late night film of this genre - suddenly things are turned on their head and the story takes a different direction. Don't pop out to get a drink else you'll miss a vital turn and spend ages trying to catch up with whats happening!

The cast is mostly unknown (seen performing in other B-movies at most) but don't be put off, as each of the leads deliver solid, watchable performances.

Things begin to get a little shaky an hour or so in, with the late stages of the film maybe not as good as early on, but not enough to damage the film overall.

All-in-all, for what this film is - essentially a late-night B-movie - its above average compared to many of its counterparts, thanks to good performances and the twist-a-minute plot.

incredible. She is a great actress. Anybody that sees her in this flick can not help but love her. She is absolutely an incredible actress. Ms. Rubin does this dance routine singing "these boots are made for walking". She was unbelievable. She was sexy as she could be. She has an incredible innocence about her.

Where did she go?

This is a REALLY Great movie. I couldn't believe how good it was until I saw it for the first time. I have now watched it 4 times. It has a great story line and has some really good twists. All the characters acted well in this flick.