CANNONBALL (2 outta 5 stars) Pretty dreary low budget car chase movie starring David Carradine and directed by Paul Bartel who teamed up for the classic "Death Race 2000" the year before. This time out inspiration seems to be have been replaced by desperation. The movie isn't really terrible... but there isn't much of it that you'll remember afterwards. Carradine plays the title character, the hottest and the coolest driver in the world who is determined to win an illegal cross country car race. Well, the plot is pretty much the same as "Death Race" and a lot of the same actors show up... but it's a pretty tepid follow-up. The wit and the satire of the previous movie are missing in action... this movie tries to be funny but it's the same kind of cheap, cornball gags you saw in practically *every* car chase flick in the '70s. The stuntwork is particularly unimpressive as well. The chief rule seems to be: "When in doubt, run someone off the road." Brief cameo appearance by Martin Scorsese and Sylvester Stallone... probably the only time the two will ever work together.
Review of Cannonball!
