Delusion

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.

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".

A film is adequate when it entertains. It is good if you want to watch it more than once. And a great movie is one that creates unforgettable characters and a story that leaves you with the feeling that, at some level, you have been transformed by it.

"Delusion" goes even farther. Even as the story begins, it manages to give the viewer an ominous sense of impending danger. The plot unfolds quickly, taking a yuppie-ish embezzler named George O'Brien (played to perfection by Jim Metzler) on a lonely stretch of highway leading from Southern California to Reno, Nevada. There he encounters a luckless couple who have wrecked their car. Agreeing to give them a ride to the next town, O'Brien soon realizes that he is in bad company.

The way in which the personalities of the two riders are unveiled shows the true genius of this film. The pair consists of Chevy, a totally ruthless sociopath and hired gun (Kyle Secor) and Patty, a troubled Las Vegas showgirl and part-time prostitute (Jennifer Rubin). Every word, every gesture, every visual image and facial expression in this film is carefully nuanced to give depth to these mysterious and threatening characters.

Secor's Chevy is at once pretentious, arrogant and vulnerable, a genuinely intriguing and complex villain. But Rubin as Patty is even more of an enigma.

A tragic background is hinted in Patty's chilling reaction to violence. She comes across as vulgar in a sensuous way, intelligent but ill-bred, the consummate wounded survivor of a hard life. Yet, on a different level, she shows courage and cleverness. Rubin is absolutely amazing in this role. She brings uncommon realism to that "girl from the wrong side of the tracks" who finds herself in an abusive and shallow relationship but never succumbs to it. Her life is clearly shaped by lack of options, yet when faced with choices, she responds in surprising but entirely believable fashion.

This film could never have developed its remarkable depth without the breathtakingly surreal scenery of Death Valley and the awesome emptiness in which the story unfolds. The spectacular beauty of the location and its eerie remoteness are the perfect backdrop for a film that is, at is core, a harrowing, entrancing tale about society's misfits.

Over the years, "Delusion" has developed a well-deserved cult following. It is a shame that this film has not yet been made available on DVD. From start to finish, it never veers off track, never misses a beat. It is plausible and intelligent and utterly mesmerizing. They just don't make them any better than this.

Delusion is successful not for the plot or storyline; nor for the dialogue in the film, but for the interesting development of the three main characters. One is a businessman who is embezzling money to make an investment in Reno, a second is a quirky young woman who is sexually attractive, and the third is the young woman's Pitt/DeCaprio lookalike, who is supposedly a professional hitman (I think not). Depending on the goodwill of a passerby is not exactly the best plan for a hit. The film is very entertaining, and a lot of fun, but much of it makes very little sense. This is supposed to be why the film is interesting; because it makes little sense. It has a bit of Tarrantino element, and there is a bit of a satisfaction at the end, but the plot has more holes than Death Valley. First of all, there really is no protagonist to root for. All three of the major characters are lowlifes and relatively despicable. However, one is a corporate lowlife, while the other two are just your normal run of the mill white trash lowlifes. Of all three, the young woman is about the only one that has any type of moral structure; however loose it may be. The corporate character is relatively uninteresting and boring, and the hit man is way over the top. So what you have is pretty much a mess that is like watching a 20 car pileup. You can't take your eyes off of it, but it is really just a big mess. But it is fun to watch.

Delusion is a smart piece of work from director Carl Copaert that takes us on an intense journey through the desert of Death Valley. There are some questionable turns that don't seem logical, but for the most part, it will keep you on the edge of your seat. It involves a computer/embezzler and his experiences after giving a Las Vegas show girl and her strange acting boyfriend a lift. The ending will surprise you.