The Car is basically a piece of crap. A black, customized hot rod with tinted windows is on the prowl in the desert, looking to claim fresh sacrifices. Not much explanation is given as to why this monster vehicle appeared and started running people and property over. We just have a hapless and hopeless police department trying to uncover the motives and the identity of the supercharged villain. The Car it seems is possessed by a demonic force that is impartial to its victims.

Star James Brolin gets to over emote and stare blankly in equal measures. Be prepared for a lot of dust clouds and dirt devils (!) in this atrocity. The body count is high and so are the parallels to the superior Spielberg directed TV movie, “Duel” (1971): An unreasoning, malevolent, unseen driver of a big rig terrorizes a desert traversing schlub. Steve’s work maintains the tension and, of course, benefits from his cinematic mastery. Not so with The Car. The colors are garish, the action is middling, the acting atrocious.

Dig the “shock” ending where The Car is finally immolated and in the resulting clouds of smoke from its destruction, a possible answer is given for this marauding menace’s identity. Ugh. Bring the booze for this one.