"Road Games" features Stacy Keach as Pat Quid, an American truck driver working for a meat company in Australia. Meanwhile, a serial killer is kidnapping young women and dumping their dismembered body parts along desolate Australian highways. He picks up a young American hitchhiker, Pamela (Jamie Lee Curtis), and the two muse on the road over the killer's motives—that is until they come face to face with him.Unsung and relatively forgotten, "Road Games" is an effective road thriller that seems to have been inspiration for such films as "The Hitcher" and even elements of the post-millennial "Jeepers Creepers" (check out the body dumping scene at the beginning) and "Wolf Creek." The film has a slow-moving first act that demands patience—which, from my knowledge, seems to be an Australian filmic tradition—before ratcheting up the suspense as Quid and Pamela become embroiled within the killer's web. Richard Franklin, who would later direct the sequel to "Psycho," is very evidently inspired by Hitchcock on a visual level, though Everett De Roche's script is every bit as Hitchcockian. Many have remarked this feature of the film, but it also takes its cues from Aussie cinema, with the aforementioned slowburn approach, as well as an acute attention to the landscapes. In terms of scares, the film takes a more subtle approach, but is no less effective. Keach's scene in the truck freezer is among the most understated, terrifying scenes I've seen in a film.Stacy Keach is remarkably likable as the lonesome trucker, while Jamie Lee Curtis, just off her scream queen beginnings with "Halloween," "Terror Train," and "Prom Night," is fresh-faced and spunky as the snarky and insouciant hitchhiker. Of the post- "Halloween" horror and thriller films that she did, this is probably one of the classier, and not at all in the league of the slasher film. There is a lot of dialogue between the two, both handled very nicely, and in that sense the film is quite character-driven. Many have criticized the ending of the film as predictable, and I suppose they're right—but the truth is that it just works.Overall, I found "Road Games" to be a competent and unrelentingly entertaining thriller. As someone who enjoys road movies, coming across this film was a surprise and a pleasure. It's well-shot, well-acted, and has a solid second half that pays off the slow climb of the first. And, I mean, come on—Jamie Lee Curtis and Stacy Keach being stalked by a killer in the outback? There's nothing quite like that. 9/10.

Truck driver Pat Quid (Stacy Keach), transporting meat across Australia, believes a suspicious van driver he continually sees on his trip may be responsible for a series of hitchhiker murders. Along the way Quid picks up a hitchhiker (Jamie Lee Curtis) and tells her his suspicions. The two try to track the van driver while Quid becomes the police's number one suspect for the murders.I think Richard Franklin is one of the more under-appreciated directors from the '80s. He made several interesting films before fading into mediocrity in the '90s, a fate that befell many '80s directors. There's a strong Hitchcock influence throughout Franklin's work, including this film, which should come as no surprise for the man who would go on to direct Psycho II. For his part, Stacy Keach carries the movie with ease. He reminds me of some of the protagonists from great Hitchcock thrillers who were normal, easy-going guys that were thrust into dangerous plots. This is easily the best performance I've seen from Keach. Jamie Lee Curtis is likable in her small part as the hitchhiker, a role similar to the one she played in The Fog the year before.I've always enjoyed this movie. It's a fun, suspenseful thriller with a good cast and some dark humor. One of the better "killer on the road" movies I've seen.

This was a pretty odd movie at times. It's got some black comedy to it, and it's almost Hitchcockian at times, without Alfred's pizazz. I'm gonna go and give this movie plenty of credit. It definitely does have some suspense and two kooky leads in Stacy Keach & Jamie Lee Curtis that I dug a lot, along with ambiguous ending of sorts as well. I was kind of mislead by this one. For some reason I expected a little more of a thriller than I did. It was a thriller, but it was much more subdued than I thought it would be. I had something along the lines of Duel or something like that (odd. I know) but I still dug it somewhat. Stacy Keach is excellent in the lead. He's always been an underrated actor, and here he proves why. He might just be a little more insane than the killer himself! His obsession with finding the killer is a hoot to watch. I was also amused at how much he talked to himself as well. Jamie Lee Curtis doesn't have as much screen time as you may think. When she's on, she shows off that charm that she is well known for; loved her chemistry with Keach as well. Final Thoughts: This won't be for everyone's cup of tea. It took me a while to fully digest what I thought of it. My verdict is that it's an above average film that works well in spades, but is not something I'd go near again. It's worth a watch for sure, though. It's certainly well done6.5/10

For me, this quirky little item came out of left field - and hit a home run. As has been oft pointed out, this is junior Hitchcock, and I think the master would have been impressed.The story, a mix of the familiar plus some very good new ideas, holds your attention. The Aussie outback scenery is most enjoyable and, of course, the acting is four-star.Jamie Lee looks so much better than she does on the tube hawking that yogurt, and Stacy Keach is always impressive. To digress: I spent the day with him and his brother, James, when they were in North Carolina's Outer Banks filming the Wright Brothers initial flight, exactly where it happened. It was for PBS and I'm not sure it was ever shown. A shame, too. The brothers were friendly - delightful company.Meanwhile, back in Australia and "Road Games." It is recommended for fans of suspense.The truck vs. van sequences were exciting. I always wonder, in scenes like those why there is no other traffic on the road. And, I wonder about the Aussies. The people in the store were nasty, the cops were nasty, Mel Gibson, in real life, is nasty.As for the Keach-Curtis flick, it is quite good and, by the way, the chemistry between the two was impressive. I picture them playing Monopoly between takes.