Le justicier de la route

After making films such as "Driller Killer", "Ms. 45" and "Fear City", we would see film-maker Abel Ferrara direct a straight-to-TV movie "The Gladiator". With this being the case, the limitations are there and I could only think what could have been if he was given full control as the context of the story was right down his alley. Maybe this is what interested him to the project, or those who hired him saw his previous films and would have liked to see him recapture the spirit of those features for his production. Still even with those restraints, "The Gladiator" for most part is an effectively brooding revenge piece shot on the cheap, but filled with some grit and style in the signature touch of Ferrara. The nigh-time sequences pack atmosphere with its neon lighting and Ferrara does a tidy job framing it with its rocking soundtrack. It's "Death Wish" on the motorway.

A maniac in a custom-built car known as "The Skull" is terrorising motorists and after the death of his brother one night, mechanic Rick Benton vows to end it. He converts his pick-up truck into an armed and dangerous machine calling himself "The Gladiator". Every night he goes out on the road searching for "The Skull", but also trying to rid the roads of any reckless drivers, but the police led by Lt. Frank Mason see him as a menace. Also people who constantly call into a radio station seem to be divided on the actions of "The Gladiator".

The smart script attached does seem to have more to say, than being a straight-up action exploitation fare. There it tackles the issue of taking the law into your own hands, how things can get out of out-of- control and while at same time spitting out facts and statistics of the danger of drink driving. It does kind of get heavy handed on the last point, but never does it take away from the film's enjoyment. A laid- back Ken Wahl plays the lead role as the young man haunted by the death of his younger brother and agreeable in the part. You do feel sorry for his character, as he portrays a level-headed and reflective character that slowly goes off the rails. Across from him is very solid support by Nancy Allen, Stan Shaw and Robert Culp as the detective in charge of "The Skull" case. The maniac driver motivation seems to be road rage (accidentally provoked or just waiting to be) and he's never seen, until the final shot where Ferrara pit's the two in a thrilling demolition climax in a junkyard. There are some exciting set-pieces, but the final 10 minutes top it.

Is it the writing team? The producers? An undisclosed source of financing for the production? Who was it that had connections to M. A. D. D., or an association of driver's ed instructors, to shape the film? The premise is plain enough, and promising, but of whatever else the concept may be, I wasn't anticipating a public service announcement being adapted into a thriller. All this is to say that 'The gladiator' is more than a little heavy-handed in broaching the issues of driving safety and drunk driving; of course these matters are very important, but one doesn't expect such emphatic, unwieldy treatment in a full-length feature, least of all one made by Abel Ferrara. Then again, this was a TV movie, and further proves it with use of music (score or soundtrack) that's a tad kitschy, curt editing (for commercial breaks), and major forthrightness in many regards. None of this inherently reflects on the quality of the picture, but if one isn't prepared to engage with such fare then it's best to not even stop to take a look.

Ferrara is a filmmaker I generally trust; not all his films are equal, but he can broadly be relied upon for solid entertainment. Whatever it was about this project to influence its course, there's no getting around the ungainly inelegance that characterizes a lot of the proceedings. The acting, above all, is often rather blunt, and lacking of tact or nuance. Though technically capable, Ferrara's direction in this case also comes off as a little forced and contrived, so many scenes struggle to feel authentic. Factor in the music that's enjoyable in and of itself but increasingly feels over the top as it's employed, and dialogue and scene writing that's undeniably ham-handed and overdone (including but absolutely not limited to the romantic element), and the viewing experience is surely walking on thin ice. Make no mistake, the stunts are fantastic, and the effects are well done; there are earnest (if relatively minor) thrills to be had from the core substance of the narrative, and it's cathartic to see some rotten people get just desserts. Such value is necessarily weighed against those aspects that raise a skeptical eyebrow, and these are possibly greater in number.

What's arguably most surprising about 'The gladiator' is that beyond the central conceit, the feature also tries to give thoughtful rumination on vigilantism, its worth and its folly. This facet is very welcome, and in fact I'd have liked it if the screenplay dealt with it more. There are two problems, though. First is that when this tack is broached most directly, it's with an exactness relative to other scenes and dialogue that's too on the nose for its own good. Second, with a runtime of just over ninety minutes, I don't think there's enough context of the protagonist's activities to most meaningfully give weight to the meatier topic, and as it stands such pondering is given such minimal, passing treatment that it comes off as a little gauche. And here's one more thing: the climax is surely the single best part of the picture, if imperfect. Yet at large the last fifteen minutes or so feel rushed, and overfull, as though there was a last-minute recognition of how much plot still had to be resolved but the production had definitive limits on how much time it had to do so.

More so than not I think 'The gladiator' is well made, with honest intent and fine craftsmanship, not least from crew behind the scenes. It's a curious mixed bag, however, in almost every way, and in some such regards unquestionably leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. If the writing were handled more delicately and mindfully, that alone would have improved the end result by leaps and bounds, to say nothing of more sincere choices for the music, and more careful editing and direction. Ultimately I don't think this is bad, but nor is it anything that demands viewership. If you happen to come across it it's a decent way to spend 94 minutes, though one must be prepared for the less than ideal treatment of most everything herein, and even at that I wonder if I'm being too generous in my assessment. Probably recommendable for diehard fans of Ferrara or others involved, 'The gladiator' is a modestly satisfying good time, but if you're going to watch, just know what you're getting into and temper your expectations.

I was in sixth grade when i first saw this movie, it had everything i was looking for in an "automobile chase" movie, at that time that was what i was into, roadwarrior etc.....

It had the drunk on revenge main character....who soups up his truck to take down drunk drivers after his brother gets hurt by one. And not to mention the standoff automobile fight scene in the end that would make vaughn from crash, pass out in ecstasy.

did i mention that i loved able ferra movies before i even knew who he was?!

If you ever get a chance to see this vehicle vigilance movie. then do so. Other wise you will miss his really cool harpoon gun.

Wonderful and rewarding film. The film is about how a simple, good guy decided to restore order on the roads, the reason for this was the death of his brother. He breaks the cars of drunk drivers, leaving them for police. His car is equipped with special devices. The main goal, to find the killer of his brother. Movie impressive car chases and stunts, as well as music and songs.

Cast is worthy. The main character wants to empathize. The girlfriend of the main character Susan is also a very interesting character, it helps Rick cope with depression, she broadcaster, has commented on the development of the story in the course of the film. The movie is saturated dialogs and dramatic moments.

Soulful and entertaining film.

A deranged (and easily identifiable) 70's muscle car goes on a killing spree, so the brother of a victim (Ken Wahl) decides to build his own Death Truck (with sheets of steel, grill protector, and a spear-gun) to bring vigilante justice to the streets at night. Will he catch the killer?

The poster and the plot summary sound like "can't lose" kind of idea. Anyone familiar with the end of THE EXTERMINATOR 2 or the real-life rampage by Marvin Heemeyer will see some comfortable familiarity in the scenario of a guy souping up his truck to exact righteous vengeance upon the wicked. Unfortunately this film squanders the premise largely out of adherence to the TV standards of the time.

For one, it's extremely cheap and lacking in any of the cold, calculating style of Ferrara's other 80's films. Additionally the script presents plenty of problems that make the premise seem much more ridiculous than it had to be. The movie takes great pains to make Ken Wahl's descent into vigilantism gradual and emotionally realistic, yet stretches credulity many times as he would not be able to get away with it so long and not be able to hide it from his friends and lover (Nancy Allen) who know him, know about his dead brother, and know about his fancy truck. Yes "The Gladiator" as he calls himself becomes something of a celebrity with the cops not-so-hot on his trail, but he puts effort into to trying to get people to pull over and adhere to a citizen's arrest rather than hurting or killing anyone. This leaves dozens of witnesses who could easily see his license plate, but it doesn't come to anything.

Personally I think the film would have been a lot better had they decided to make it more realistic, give us some tension with the authorities closing their net around him, or else to just gone all-out with the violence and mayhem. We could have seen Wahl start as a noble do-gooder turn into a monster just as bad as the one who created him. The film hints at this but never delivers. As it is, THE GLADIATOR unfortunately stands as an extremely unsatisfying yet fascinating window into the forgotten realm of 80's TV movies aimed at adults but safe enough for kids.