Verdict
Summary
Midnight Ride is worth watching for Hamill’s deranged villain but it’s also a refreshing change of pace to see Dudikoff so vulnerable.
Plot: A house wife just left her cop husband, when she picks up Justin Mckay she’ll wish she never did as she’s plunged into a nightmare and the grip of a psychotic killer.
Review: The American Ninja vs. Luke Skywalker? Alright, I’m game. Midnight Ride comes from the legendary Cannon Films so you already know you’re in for a fun time. This was actually better than I expected and still holds up well mostly due to its bonkers story.
Hamill is quite deranged as hitcher Justin Mckay who is almost hilariously invincible; he kills dozens of people in this movie and it really was a great audition for his roles as The Joker/Trickster. He’s got the maniacal laugh down pat and he’s clearly loving every minute chewing the scenery.
Michael Dudikoff plays a normal cop trying to bring his wife back, but sadly he isn’t a ninja and has no martial arts fight scenes; this the most vulnerable we had seen him at this point so it was a refreshing change of pace. His fight with Justin at the end is more out of desperation and a little more believable than what we’re used to in the American Ninja series. I didn’t care for the wife Lara at all and if I were Lawson (Dudikoff) I would have just let Justin take her. He’s better off without her…
The movie is a blend of action and horror and is quite thrilling in parts but the sheer ineptitude of the police takes away from it. Justin is always one step ahead of everyone and it’s pretty unbelievable, especially when he drives around with Dudikoff attached to the hood of his car and there are no cops at all!
The music is quite cool with some screeching electric guitars which makes the action a bit more exciting.
The performances in general are surprisingly good and we even get a small role for Robert Mitchum who must have wandered on set drunk.
Overall, Midnight Ride is worth watching for Hamill’s deranged villain but it’s also a refreshing change of pace to see Dudikoff so vulnerable.