Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Packard Walsh and his motorized gang control and terrorize an Arizona desert town where they force drivers to drag-race so they can 'win' their vehicles. After Walsh beats the decent teenager Jamie Hankins to death after finding him with his girlfriend, a mysterious power creates Jake Kesey, an extremely cool motor-biker who has a car which is invincible. Jake befriends Jamie's girlfriend Keri Johnson, takes Jamie's sweet brother Bill under his wing and manages what Sheriff Loomis couldn't; eliminate Packard's criminal gang the hard way...
The Wraith is a moderately enjoyable 80s cult curiosity that blends supernatural revenge fantasy with street racing and light sci-fi trappings. The plot is thin and predictable — a ghost/reincarnation revenge tale that hits familiar beats without much depth or surprise. Acting is serviceable at best; Charlie Sheen coasts on charisma and the villains are broadly drawn. Cinematography captures the sun-baked Arizona desert atmosphere with reasonable competence and some slick car sequences that give it visual energy. Novelty earns a modest bump for its odd genre mashup — ghost story meets car-gang thriller with a futuristic vehicle — which gives it a distinctive 80s cult flavor even if none of the elements are executed with great originality. The ending is perfunctory, resolving the revenge arc in a rushed and unsatisfying way with little emotional payoff.