We continue 31 frights of Halloween with Jeepers Creepers. The movie was released in 2001 and was a box office hit. Nowadays, the movie isn’t talked about as much, and it’s understandable why. The director is Victor Salva. He is a terrible human being who has done terrible things. His controversy has clouded this movie a bit, and it’s unfortunate because overall, this movie is really good.
The movie has siblings Darry and Trish driving through the country on their way home from college. As they are driving, they see what appears to be a strange man dumping what looks like a body down a pipe. What follows next is this strange man following the siblings and making their lives a living hell.
Okay, if you have seen this movie or simply have looked at the picture above, you are probably thinking, “wait, that isn’t a man.” That is a part of what makes this movie really fun. The movie is fast-paced, and we see our main characters on the run fairly quickly. It doesn’t give the audience time to think. We think we are watching a movie about a possible serial killer, but once it’s revealed that the killer is some kind of monster, everything changes. The first time we see him, he is far away. He keeps getting closer, and hints are dropped, until we realize what he is, and it’s freaky. I love a movie that starts one way and totally surprises the audience.
The Actors and Creeper
Justin Long and Gina Phillips play brother and sister, and they do a fantastic job. They have great chemistry, and you truly believe they are siblings. They argue a lot, but you can tell they really care about each other. Justin Long is fantastic in just about everything that he is in, and that includes this movie. Darry acts like a younger brother, making a lot of dumb and brash decisions. You really care about him, though, and Justin’s performance shines through. When he has to be afraid, I am convinced that I haven’t seen anyone more scared in a movie than Darry.
Jonathan Breck plays the Creeper. He spent 5 to 7 hours getting makeup applied every day. His commitment shows because he truly is terrifying. The Creeper doesn’t get enough credit. This is a creature that awakes every 23 years so it can feed for 23 days. We don’t get much more information than that. It makes the movie more scary because where did he came from? He has wings and can fly. He has these tentacle things that come out of his face. If he loses a limb, he can regrow that limb by eating someone else’s limb. He can drive a car. Does he have a license? We may never know, but it makes for a scary creature design.
The Scares
What makes this movie scary is its extreme tension and the unknown. Audiences spend time trying to put the puzzle pieces together, and when it hits you, it really hits you. There is a particular scene where the creeper uses an old woman as a puppet, and it is terrifying. There are some small doses of humor to lighten the mood, but for the most part, it’s a wild chase, and the creeper is always on their tail.
The creeper runs on fear. He can smell it on victims, and that is what drives him. It’s a terrifying concept. The movie is 90 minutes and well-paced, and it all leads up to a memorable conclusion. It’s hard to say more about this movie without spoiling certain scenes. If you haven’t seen this movie, check it out.
Jeepers Creepers is not currently streaming.
Come back tomorrow for more spooky season reviews.
