xtraterrestrial beams of white-hot light zip through the Arizona desert, transforming into an unusually aerodynamic car and a helmeted driver, standing ominously against a backdrop of majestic saguaros. Shortly thereafter, a young man (Steven Eckholdt) and his girlfriend (Elizabeth Cox) are cut off on their way home through isolated roads by a gang of homicidal men. “Why’d you stop me? What do you want?” As it turns out, the brutes want a street race, with the loser forfeiting their ride.

“You’re nothing but road pirates!” Not unlike the basic premise of “The Fast and the Furious” mixed with “The Crow” (both of which this movie predates), along with a wealth of other derivations, “The Wraith” is essentially an excuse for fast cars and sexy women to remain onscreen for extended periods, offsetting vehicular mayhem. It’s also something of a take on “Mad Max,” but angled toward the teen crowd, borrowing elements from “The Warriors” or “Savage Streets” or other rebellious pictures about wayward youths stirring up trouble. Here, the rest of the plot is entirely guessable, as mysterious newcomer Jake Kesey (Charlie Sheen) arrives in the tiny town of Brooks, with a mission of vengeance against fearsome gang leader (and dangerously jealous lover) Packard Walsh (Nick Cassavetes), who keeps a tight grip over local residents – and, in particular, gorgeous girl Keri Johnson (Sherilyn Fenn).

The villains are exceptionally unreformable, quite deserving of the comeuppance regularly dished out by the sleek black Dodge Interceptor and its phantasmal operator, who wordlessly challenges member after member of Packard’s squad, killing them off one by one in catastrophic vehicular duels. Strangely, the racing hooligans are aware of the law, remaining unconvincingly tightlipped in the presence of Lieutenant Q.L. Loomis (Randy Quaid) and his officers. And goon Oggie (Griffin O’Neal) – along with subsequent contenders – wears a helmet when he takes to the road to burn some rubber (an awfully responsible choice for adolescent criminals).

With a hint of “The Terminator” and “Predator” during its action sequences, but fueled by popular songs of the era, “The Wraith” is an unbecomingly tame blend of road rage and revenge and destructive chases, boasting careening cars and tremendous fireballs but limited bloodshed and sexuality (it was originally rated R before receiving a re-rating of PG-13). Packard’s minions never seem to go far enough in their actions to suggest that they’re genuine ruffians; unfittingly, there isn’t even coarse language. For its subject matter, the picture stays conspicuously toothless – when it could have been daringly violent and adventurous.

Additionally, the character designs are fairly generic (drug-addled punks Skank and Gutterboy are two of the more annoying ones), as are the conversations, the love story, and the progression of events. Most of it is simply far too predictable and inconsequential (working from the flimsiest of premises). But it’s nevertheless minimally amusing to see the collection of speed demons get killed off in ever more explosive ways, as they’re entirely unsympathetic and scripted solely as implacable bullies worthy of untimely demises. “Roadblocks won’t stop something that can’t be stopped.”

– Mike Massie