Panique sur la voie express

This 1997 film-blanc classic tale of smoldering passion has achieved its well-deserved legendary status as one of the screen's greatest sagas of a doomed and hopeless love. The pervasive, ongoing and progressive magnetism between Judge Reinhold and what's-her-name is sure to set many a viewer's heart a-flutter with memories of one's own first crush. The brilliant screenplay dangles this embryonic affair-to-be in front of the enraptured audience, sitting transfixed as the abstract, almost-expressionist cinematography deep-focuses on the just-under-the-surface desires that ebb and flow between the principals. You can cut the sexual tension with a dull tire iron.

A tiny drop of perspiration on the end of a nose catches the bright sunshine, and leaves no doubt as to its significance. Scenes like this abound and bear watching again and again. As with "Jane Eyre" and "Rebecca" (to which this masterpiece is so often compared), the closeups of the actors' faces as they experience the slow dawning of the great love-that-is-not-to-be will haunt you forever.

The now-classic RC soundtrack score, with its creative and unique use of solo synthesizer, emphasizes the emotion that drips throughout like a leaky crankcase.

If I had any criticisms at all by mentioning what I consider a minor flaw (and dared to risk the wrath of the millions of fans who hold this classic so dear to their hearts), I would say that the hallmark of "Runaway Car" - its sense of mounting sexual tension - is briefly broken by the highway scene, which now after repeated viewings seems just a bit overlong (and probably even unnecessary?) to the eternal, bittersweet tale of Love Interrupted.

Dare I advance what I perceive as the tiniest of flaws in this critically-acclaimed triumph of modern cinema? 'Citizen Kane' had its 'Rosebud' . . . 'Runaway Car' should have its catchword as well. Perhaps the film could have opened with an extreme closeup of Judge Reinhold saying something such as "A car is an extension of its owner!", and the rest of the storyline could then be dedicated to parsing every syllable, subtlety and nuance of that phrase. Had that plot line been done, this film could have topped "Titanic" at the Golden Globes that year, I'm convinced.

My one regret? That I didn't read the novel first.

Look, although we don't like to admit it, we've all have to suppress our fears concerning the extreme likelihood of experiencing the events that take place in this movie. You know: you get into your car and you immediately start thinking,"Gosh, I hope today isn't the day that my accelerator sticks at a comfortable cruising speed of 55 mph, all four door latches break in the locked position, both my main and emergency brake fail, my ignition switch can't be turned off, and I've got a full tank of gas; all simultaneously." Fortunately, for most of us, our Thorazine kicks-in before we actually decide that it's a bad idea to be driving a car. Not so for the makers of the harrowing, white-knuckle, edge-of-your-seat (if only in preparation to leave the room) action juggernaut, "Runaway Car" But they go ahead and drive anyway!

I am endlessly pleased to have found (thanks to the imdb) that this movie is real, and that I didn't merely dream it.

This movie is, at the very least, one of the fantastic sights you will see on your journey to find the El Dorado of Very Bad Cinema.

I highly recommend it.

This movie got nothing going for it. When I say nothing I mean NOTHING. How can people think up such crap and pass it off as a movie. There is not an ounce of realism in the plot and to top it off the acting is below par in fact way below par. It still baffles me why did the police just use a "stinger" to stop the car like they do on countless times to stop bad guys (in real life). If only the makers did include that into this movie, we would have been saved from facing such trash. I would give this flick a 1/100 rating.

I was bored one night and sat down to watch T.V. and came upon this and I was surprised it was such a good movie. Hey it wasn't the greatest movie but I would watch this a million times over before I watched Dharma and Greg. The movie didn't seem to realistic but hey it was Based On A True Story so no one dreamed this up they just saw it in the newspaper. Great movie if your bored. 5 stars out of 10

Yes it's a badly-made movie. The acting and script are poor, and it has got the worst continuity error I've ever witnessed - watch the car hood. The black character is from some lousy Starsky episode. I first saw the movie on tv late-night. I wanted to get to bed but ended up watching it all the way through. When I saw it again I taped it and showed it to my 8-year old daughter. She came out of the room shaking and crying as a result of the baby-jeopardy-helicopter moment. (The only movie moment I can ever remember producing this effect in her). The damn thing's enjoyable. I find this with other "bad" movies. Somehow, the effect of knowing it's cheap and has no big stars can lead to a more relaxed honest enjoyment. As someone else said, watch it with a few cans.