Toast Rider!

Rating: 7/10 (27 March 2007)

This is simply the best windshield movie to come out in years. For those of us lucky enough to live near one of the last drive-ins, this movie presents the best opportunity to incorporate your vehicle into the view experience. There are more than enough point-of-view shots from the bike, creating the illusion of movement as your car tears across the movie screen. Try going straight up the mirror windowed building with your tires leaving snakes of flame, it's fun! All this is enhanced by setting green sticky nugs alight. In fact, play a game where you smoke a bowl every time Nick Cage's skull catches fire (those without drive-in access will have to wait for DVD, poor shmoos.) This movie has many appeals for the Herbal-American viewer, such as the first superhero who sits around watching a lot of TV. Lines like "I'm watching TV", "I watch a lot of TV" and "What's wrong, don't you people ever watch TV?" will resonate in any stoners' resin smeared heart. Peter Fonda is the devil, so bring that Easy Rider (also seven leaves) soundtrack in the car with you. The plastic bag kid who sells pot in American Beauty (five leaves) is back from oblivion as the villain, Hell yeah! The visuals are primo; we have computer animation used very sparingly, creating the Mickey Effect, so named after the CGI that was used on Woody Harrelson after he vomited the shrooms in Natural Born Killers (eight leaves.) The Mickey Effect allows the basic composition to be rooted in reality while adding wild embellishments in places you wouldn't expect. Lots of weird things going on in the eyes. The filmmakers also understand the aura of cool around the 70s-ish source comic and are able to get it into the big screen devil's bounty hunter. That's what keeps this from being a Spawn (four leaves) or a Phantom (Seeds and Stems). Back you fattest bag and get to Ghost Rider, or a least smog out in the parking lot so that you can take you inner windshield into the multiplex with you. Seven Leaves: High Glow. One of the best, has lots of wonder to make your head spin.