This movie, "The Wraith," released in 1986, is a rather over-the-top action film featuring Charlie Sheen and Sherilyn Fenn. It centers on a group of criminals who shake down residents of southern Arizona by forcing them into drag races to steal their cars. The situation changes when a newcomer arrives with a sleek black car and its driver. Randy Quaid plays the local Sheriff in the picture. The movie feels like an odd combination of "Top Gun" and “Lost Boys,” substituting aerial dogfights for drag racing and gangsters for vampires. While most of the actors lean into the silliness—particularly David Sherrill as Skank, Jamie Bozian as Gutterboy, and Clint Howard as Rughead—Nick Cassavetes portrays the main antagonist with a bit more restraint, though he’s still quite exaggerated. It's interesting to note that Nick is the son of John Cassavetes and Gina Rowlands; there’s a striking height difference between his parents and him, though. I didn’t really connect with the film’s over-the-top style, and I believe it could have been more effective if taken more seriously, similar to "Top Gun." But, if you're willing to embrace the absurdity, there are some enjoyable aspects. The Arizona scenery is gorgeous, Sherilyn Fenn looks lovely on screen, and the car chases are genuinely exciting. The film clocks in at 1 hour and 33 minutes and was filmed around Tucson, including a stretch of the Sonoran Desert National Monument near Gila Bend—about 92 miles northwest of Tucson and southwest of Phoenix. I’d give it a B-minus.
On September 23, 2026
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