There's always a 50% chance that a movie based on a Stephen King story or novel is going to suck. The made-for-cable tv RIDING THE BULLET is one such film-and perhaps director Mick Garris' weakest movie.The film takes place in 1969, though it curiously doesn't have that 'feel'. The way the characters are acting and talking could be today. Thank goodness there's the constant 60's music soundtrack to remind us when this takes place. I did like the opening title sequence, which was made to look like old Super 8mm film home movies. The story revolves around a morbid college student obsessed with death, who has unresolved issues in regard to his mother (Barbara Hershey). He half-heartedly tries to commit suicide because his girlfriend broke up with him and he's also depressed. While he's recovering in the hospital his former girlfriend visits and tells him that she was just playing a joke on him, that she wasn't really breaking up.Soon after, he gets a call from a neighbor back home who informs him that his mother is in the hospital because of a stroke. Because he doesn't have a car he hitches a ride there-and along the way literally comes face to face with death in the guess of David Arquette. Interspersed among this are various flashback scenes from when he was ten years old.The 'Riding the Bullet' refers to a roller coaster at a local amusement park. He chickened out going on it when he was ten and still regrets it. Arquette, as the zombie driver, taunts him about this. Ultimately, the college student has to make a choice between his life or that of his mother-and, realizing he is actually afraid of dying, chooses his mother.The movie ends with the character as a forty-something adult with some trite voiceover about how everyone is special. Sappy, sappy, sappy.There are also cameos by director Garris (as a doctor) and his wife (as a nurse).
There's always a 50% chance that a movie based on a Stephen King story or novel is going to suck. The made-for-cable tv RIDING THE BULLET is one such film-and perhaps director Mick Garris' weakest movie.The film takes place in 1969, though it curiously doesn't have that 'feel'. The way the characters are acting and talking could be today. Thank goodness there's the constant 60's music soundtrack to remind us when this takes place. I did like the opening title sequence, which was made to look like old Super 8mm film home movies. The story revolves around a morbid college student obsessed with death, who has unresolved issues in regard to his mother (Barbara Hershey). He half-heartedly tries to commit suicide because his girlfriend broke up with him and he's also depressed. While he's recovering in the hospital his former girlfriend visits and tells him that she was just playing a joke on him, that she wasn't really breaking up.Soon after, he gets a call from a neighbor back home who informs him that his mother is in the hospital because of a stroke. Because he doesn't have a car he hitches a ride there-and along the way literally comes face to face with death in the guess of David Arquette. Interspersed among this are various flashback scenes from when he was ten years old.The 'Riding the Bullet' refers to a roller coaster at a local amusement park. He chickened out going on it when he was ten and still regrets it. Arquette, as the zombie driver, taunts him about this. Ultimately, the college student has to make a choice between his life or that of his mother-and, realizing he is actually afraid of dying, chooses his mother.The movie ends with the character as a forty-something adult with some trite voiceover about how everyone is special. Sappy, sappy, sappy.There are also cameos by director Garris (as a doctor) and his wife (as a nurse).
