Despite the controversy around its creator, the film itself holds up as a sharp and entertaining example of road-based terror.
Jeepers Creepers is a movie I’ve nominated for my Halloween Fifteen lineup several times but always ended up pushing aside. Honestly, I think that was partly because I didn’t really want to address its writer and director, Victor Salva. Let’s get that out of the way right up front: Salva’s done some terrible things in his past, and acknowledging his work on this movie isn’t an endorsement of him as a person. I’m reviewing the film for what it is — a piece of horror cinema that’s had a lasting impact despite the baggage behind it.
Released in 2001, Jeepers Creepers is one of those early 2000s horror flicks I somehow never got around to when it was new. It tells the story of siblings Trish and Darry, played by Gina Philips and Justin Long, who are driving home from college along a lonely stretch of Florida highway. The movie opens with them trading stories about a local urban legend — a couple who vanished after their senior prom — when a rusty old truck suddenly appears behind them, blaring its horn, and nearly running them off the road.
After the truck speeds off, they later spot it again near an abandoned church, where its mysterious driver appears to be dumping what looks like bodies down a pipe. From that point on, the movie becomes a tense road nightmare as the siblings realize they’ve caught the attention of something far worse than a deranged trucker.
What really surprised me is how well the film unfolds. It starts like a typical “stranded on the highway” horror setup, but slowly peels back layers, revealing just enough information at a time to keep the mystery alive. The pacing is tight, and the sense of isolation on that endless stretch of highway adds a lot to the dread.
The cinematography is great, especially in one standout sequence involving a police car. The movie makes the most of its low budget — the effects are surprisingly effective, and the Creeper itself is a genuinely cool and memorable monster. The film doesn’t over-explain what it is or where it comes from, and that’s a big part of why it works. It leaves room for imagination and keeps the creature shrouded in mystery.
Overall, Jeepers Creepers is a solid, atmospheric piece of early 2000s horror that delivers suspense, a great monster, and just the right amount of weirdness. Despite the controversy around its creator, the film itself holds up as a sharp and entertaining example of road-based terror.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
