Il replicante

'The Wraith' is an interesting blend of fantasy, action, drama, romance and even a bit of horror, while at the same time being a vengeance movie. This classic 80s movie made the futuristic car, a Dodge M4S, a household name at the time of release.

Interesting also how some elements in the film are so familiar with the 'Fast and the Furious' franchise, which almost makes me believe the writers of the original 'Fast and the Furious' based their film on 'The Wraith'. Could this indeed have been the inspiration?

'The Wraith' features amazing cars and fast-paced, impressive action sequences. This will no doubt be a feast for car enthusiasts. I also enjoyed the characters and the premise in general. Charlie Sheen stars as the film's protagonist, Jake. A mysterious character at first, we learn a lot about Jake through flashbacks. Nick Cassavetes stars as the antagonist, Packard, who is possessive over Keri (Sherilyn Fenn). Keri is a strong character and the only person in town who is not scared to stand up to Packard. Randy Quaid is well cast as Sheriff Loomis, who also takes a stand against Packard and his gang.

'The Wraith' is very well made for its time. Even by today's standards, the film delivers more than enough thrills and excitement to keep the viewer engaged. It also offers a great climax on a physical and emotional level. This is a darn good movie!

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.

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...

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."

This movie survives only because the plot idea is kinda' cool. The rest of it is tremendously cheesy, but the excellent car and a compulsive 80's sound track make this a movie worthy of a night in and a bucket of popcorn. Put up your feet, put your brain to bed, sit back and enjoy.