Highway to Hell (1991) User Reviews

Tongue in cheek cult classic

[dworldeater · 7/10 · 26 June 2021]

Highway To Hell is an instant cult classic about a hidden road to Hell, where Hellcop snatches up virgins for Old Nick. This is a satirical horror comedy that doesn't take itself too seriously. This stars Kristy Swanson (the original Buffy) in this ridiculous, but highly entertaining film. There are some notable cameos from Lita Ford, Gilbert Godfrey, Ben Stiller and most of The Stiller family. I have fond memories when I first saw this on HBO and I have a copy on VHS somewhere. Highway To Hell is a cool flick and good cheesy fun.

Now I can say I've been to hell and back...seriously though...this is a good sleeper

[witster18 · 7/10 · 24 October 2007]

Highway to Hell starts off as a campy 80's ish horror flick. It grabs you from the start and then holds on when our stars jump over the real world divide. The concept is ingenious and the characters are fresh. There are some great sight gags and loads of funny lines. THis is definitely better than the 5.7 rating here......I just left a review for 'The Prodigy' and I am FLABBERGASTED that it has the same rating on IMDb. This is EASILY a better film. Patrick Bergen and Chad Lowe are great adversaries and on originality alone this film deserves at least a 6-6.5 here. Pure unadulterated 'B' movie genius. Wish I could find a copy to rent. 3.5 out of five on my 'b' movie marathon list. It is very strange and not for all tastes, but HTH will forever be a cult-classic. 65/100

Off-Beat Beetle Juice Copy Cat

[tabuno · 7/10 · 18 January 2019]

24 July 2010. This afterlife hell, low-budget horror-comedy-teen-adventure has its share of discontinuity gaps (Kristy Swanson's character attempting to choke the bad cop and then not) and logical, script flaws (not looking back shots) yet for all of that there is a dumb flow of a storyline, true love, temptation, and Patrick Bergin's performance, and Pamela Gidley's role that make this movie entertaining and mildly haunting. Though this movie can't come close to Beetle Juice (1988) and its rich cult classic status along with its horror comedy charm of Michael Keaton at his best, HIGHWAY TO HELL has its own oddity and a mild suggestion of DUSK TIL DAWN (1996) atmospherics.

A unique and original film.

[cyril-18 · 26 August 2004]

If you love quirky movies this one is a gem. Basically the story plays out like this ... Charlie, played by actor Chad Lowe and Rachel, played by actress Kristy Swanson. Are young lovers who decide to elope in Nevada ... Bad mistake. They decide to take a seldom used highway where they meet a old gas station owner played by veteran actor Richard Farnsworth. It is at the gas station where Mr Farnsworth warns the young lovers not to drive a certain highway while tired. Of coarse they don't listen to him and procede to take the deserted highway where Rachel is nabbed by a person known as " Hell Cop " He promptly takes Rachel to hell to become satans ( Patrick Bergin ) bride. Charlie must overcome his fear and rescue his love from hell. Hell turns out to be both a terrible and humorous place with interesting characters. I found the story well written and directed. If your looking for a fun and unique movie to watch I highly recommend this now out of print movie.

Quite enjoyable

[D Throat · 7/10 · 16 February 1999]

Fair horror flick. Nothing too fancy, but makes for nice viewing. Perhaps lacking in the gore department, but there are some funny moments. More a horror/comedy than a gorefest.

A good B-movie with a growing cult status

[DaShAg · 7/10 · 26 February 2010]

Must have been 16 years ago since I saw this movie for the very first time, as a kid just 10 years old. Last week I made a trip to memory lane and boy did I got entertained ! Highway to Hell tells the story of Charlie Sykes (Chad Lowe) and Rachel Clark (Kristy Swanson)on a trip to Las Vegas to get secretly married. While driving on the Interstate Charlie decides to take a shortcut but finds out he should've listened to his girlfriend and just kept driving on the main roads. They stop at a gas station for a quick fill and have a strange encounter with the attendant and owner named Sam (Richard Farnsworth). He warns Charlie not to fall asleep on the road ahead, but as you can guess this is exactly what happened. He wakes up to find out a strange cop named "Hellcop" arrests them and takes Rachel with him. Charlie hurries back to the gas station and tells Sam the situation. Sam explains he has to get to Hell because that is where Hellcop took his fiancée.

Then the adventure begins ! As a Kid I just loved the creativity of Hell and it's citizens. There's a lot of comedy in this movie, like you see in most Horror movies from this era. Horror is a genre which doesn't fit this movie well anyways. There are even Cameo's of the Stiller's ( Ben (in one of his first movies), his father Jerry and his sister ). If you're into Comedy-Horror movies then you shouldn't miss this gem. It's very underrated and to a lot of people this classic has become a cult-movie. Take this roller-coaster ride to hell and I'm sure you'll have a big smile on your face at the end.

Some Roads May Lead To Hell

[gwnightscream · 6/10 · 20 July 2020]

This 1991 horror comedy stars Chad Lowe, Kristy Swanson and Patrick Bergin. This tells about 2 lovers, Charlie (Lowe) and Rachel (Swanson) that want to elope in Las Vegas. Soon, they decide to take a back road which leads to a desert netherworld where Rachel is kidnapped by a satanic cop, Bedlam aka Hellcop (C.J. Graham) working for Satan. Charlie tries to rescue her within 24 hours facing baddies and meeting allies. Bergin (Sleeping with the Enemy) plays Beezle, a mechanic and there's appearances by Richard Farnsworth (Misery), Rocker, Lita Ford, Ben Stiller (Zoolander), his sister, Amy (The Cable Guy) and parents, Jerry Stiller (Seinfeld) & Anne Meara. This is a bizarre flick with a bit of fantasy added, a decent cast and good make-up effects by Steve Johnson as usual. This is one of those films that have been shelved and I'm surprised they didn't play the AC/DC hit, "Highway to Hell" in it. Give this one a view if you're into horror or fantasy.

Offbeat Comedy Horror

[SpotMonkee · 6/10 · 28 November 2019]

An offbeat slice of high-concept early 90s horror-comedy from the guy who made DROP DEAD FRED (the same year no less!) best remembered for its plethora of inexplicable cameos. It has an incredibly odd, difficult to pinpoint tone and style that's part DANTE'S INFERNO, part music video, part BILL AND TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY, and part MAD MAX. De Jong's directing is seeped in the kind of gonzo, early-MTV era locals and imagery that gives the whole film a subtly surreal, at time almost artsy vibe, not the least due to the New Wavey soundtrack that seems to permeate every scene regardless of content or tone. It's precisely the sort of visually high-concept, effects-driven horror B-movie that rose to prominence in the wake of NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET's unprecedented success. If that's your sort of thing, then by all means give it a watch.

An imaginative but ultimately unfulfilling horror/fantasy.

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 27 December 2016]

Young lovers Charlie (Chad Lowe) and Rachel (Kristy Swanson) are en route to Vegas where they intend to get married, but are forced to postpone their nuptials when they take a shortcut down a dark back road that is patrolled by a devilish cop (C.J. Graham), who whisks Charlie's bride-to-be to Hell. With only 24 hours in which to save his betrothed, Charlie follows the hell-cop into the netherworld and encounters numerous strange obstacles…

From Ate De Jong, the director of Drop Dead Fred, Highway To Hell is an offbeat horror/fantasy movie so full of arbitrary action and random characters that it feels like a lot of it was made up on the fly whilst stoned (when, in fact, it was written by Brian Helgeland, who would later win an Oscar for his screenplay for L.A. Confidential). As such, the film has no doubt garnered a small but loyal cult following, although I found the whole thing to be just a little too scattershot for its own good, the somewhat aimless approach hindering my enjoyment of the film rather than helping it.

Decent visual effects (including a stop-motion Cerberus), effective SFX makeup (a female demon with saggy tits being my favourite creation), nice cinematography and fun cameos help matters (look out for a pre-fame Ben Stiller as both a diner cook and Attila the Hun, and sexy '80s rocker Lita Ford as a hitch-hiker), but when all is said and done, Highway to Hell isn't quite as rockin' as its title suggests (and no, the AC/DC song doesn't feature on the soundtrack).

B grade non scary horror fun

[Fella_shibby · 6/10 · 2 July 2016]

I remember seeing this on a rented VHS during the early 90s. Revisited it recently on a dvd. This film deserves more attention. The movie does really well at presenting hell for an obviously low budget. You get the feeling you are in another world. The creatures are fabulous, especially the she-demon n her line, " i am a lover not a fighter...." The desert locations are used to great advantage. The acting is totally acceptable.

Truly Hell on Earth

[moonspinner55 · 2/10 · 4 August 2002]

...but when was the last time you saw Richard Farnsworth and metal queen Lita Ford in the same movie? Vacuous young lovers driving through the Nevada desert meet up with a demon cop who abducts the girl to Hell City. Low-budget, would-be cult item needed a lot more imagination and drive (and finance) to succeed. Straight-to-tape cheapie does have a few genuine highlights: I liked the demon policeman and his fire-breathing car, Chad Lowe's dog was kinda cute, and of course music-vixen Lita Ford's fun cameo as a sexy hitchhiker from Hates. This was something of a family affair for the Jerry Stiller clan, featuring curious appearances from Jerry, his wife Anne Meara, and their kids, Ben and Amy Stiller. *1/2 from ****

Horror/Comedy hidden gem

[strat-8 · 8/10 · 31 January 2005]

You have to be in the right mood. It helps if you know what to expect. If you see this on cable, SNAG IT! Cameos by the Stiller clan are priceless. Good fun! Why does this have a rating of 5.1? No sense of humor! Why is this not on DVD? As a dealer of rare VHS (and DVD) the answer is standard. The copyright owner has gone out of business / has not had any licensing offers and is not prepared to reprint and market on their own. There are thousands of such titles which is why there is a flourishing industry of reprint labels like Alpha Video and many others. We make a good living finding and selling existing copies of movies like this. This is one of many titles that I had not heard of but the high demand for used VHS copies got my attention. I have discovered many enjoyable unknown gems this way.

Cheesecake

[TheOneThatYouWanted · 7/10 · 20 November 2021]

This was sort of fun. Cheesy but fun. I am guessing it was fun because of the time it was made, the 90s; where you can get away with filming bad B movies as long as the story of half worth it.

A chilling remake is in order

[danilogateau · 5/10 · 20 June 2021]

It has a very interesting story. I think there should be a remake of Highway to Hell with the lost kid being the Antichrist instead of a kid who's parents died in the car crash. The main idea of the plot should remain the same but it should be a memory of the couple telling the story to their grandchildren. The original actors should recasted as the couple telling this story to their grandchildren as a warning about the road the leads to the Highway to Hell. The physical road which leads to the dimension of Hell and a metaphoric road of evil deeds should be the lessons taught to the captivated minds of their grandchildren.

It's Orpheus and Eurydice

[gimhoff · 30 June 2002]

Highway to Hell is a retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus, who entered Hades to bring his dead wife, the nymph Eurydice, back to life. There are two main changes in this telling of the story. First, Orpheus used the beauty of his singing and lyre playing (he was the son of a muse) to charm the guards of hell, Charon and Cerberus, and to persuade Hades to release Eurydice, while the hero of the movie uses a big gun and powerful car. Second, the Greek myth is tragic -- Orpheus was warned not to look back at Eurydice as they left the underworld. He did; she was kept back; and he himself died soon afterward. In this telling, the happy couple escapes Hell.

It might be an interesting project for a film student to compare the story to other film versions of the myth -- among others, there is a film of Offenbach's opera "Orpheus in the Underworld," a 1990 movie called "Shredder Orpheus" whose IMDB plot summary is, "Skateboarder named Orpheus and friends go to Hell to stop television signals that are brainwashing America," and two great classics, Jean Cocteau's Orphee (1949) and Marcel Camus's Orfeo Negro (Black Orpheus, 1959), set in Rio's carnival.

I Expected Less

[marissafeet · 7/10 · 15 October 2006]

Late night films don't get much better than this. As the story went on the plot got more and more ridiculous and entertaining. I was surprised with a little cameo by Ben Stiller. The main character was a bit of a lost soul and his lady (who once played a great Buffy the Vampire Slayer) seemed a bit more mature. I found many of the citizens of hell to be decent characters and enjoyed their roles in the film. When the movie was over i thought about what a waste of time it was. Yet I found myself watching it a couple weeks later, what else am i gonna do at one on a Saturday night. If you plan on watching some cheesy movie on a non cable channel, Highway to Hell is the best one you could see.

A Gem of a film!!

[paulclaassen · 7/10 · 21 September 2022]

'Highway to Hell' certainly is a gem of a film! This was so much better than expected! It is an action-packed adventure horror comedy the felt like a cross between 'Nightbreed' and 'Mad Max'.

Chad Lowe and Kristy Swanson star as young couple Charlie and Rachel, who secretly run away to Las Vegas to get married. However, when they take a road they've been warned against, they're pulled over by Hellcop (CJ Graham), who takes Rachel with him to Hell. Desperate to find her, Charlie manages to follow with the help of a mysterious petrol attendant who offers him his special car.

Talk about going to hell and back for the one you love! In 'Highway to Hell' this is taken literally. We meet loads of interesting characters along the way - weird and wonderful. The make-up, practical effects and visuals are stunning. The production design is fantastic and the film also boasts impressive action sequences. Also note the clever satirical humour.

With only 24 hours to get back before he'll be stuck in Hell for eternity, the race against time is on, allowing for suspense in the mix as well. With a lighter mood than you'd expect, this is one everyone can enjoy (well, maybe conservative religious folk would give this one a skip). 'Highway to Hell' also serves as a love story, so it really is a mix of genres.

I don't know how I missed this back in the 90's but I'm glad I discovered it. I absolutely loved it! This was a hell of a lot of fun!!

Would I watch it again? Yes, definitely.

Original and entertaining

[jordondave-28085 · 7/10 · 15 May 2023]

(1991) Highway To Hell FANTASY HORROR/ COMEDY

Movie title name taken from a popular AC/ DC song, which is about exactly what it says centering on Chad Lowe as Charlie Sykes being pursued and chased by the 'cop from hell' and then into another altered dimension hot desert and is also a part of hell. And upon his girlfriend Rachel (Kristy Swanson) being kidnapped by the demon cop, he's then forced to do many challenges. Upon watching this film reminded me of another movie made in 2011 called "Drive Angry" starring Nicolas Cage except this one is more entertaining and more original. It'd be nice if it had more awesome car crashes in it like it should.

Terrible Film

[niaz_islam · 1/10 · 1 February 2018]

This is really a terrible film.

The script was too weak and the plot has no strong base at all. There was no suspense or twist in the story. Moreover it was full of unnecessary characters who actually has nothing to do with story. The characters had no definite purpose or consistency of any sort. Some of the characters were doing things which no sense a all,

The acting was hilarious, and most of the action scenes was quite lame and totally unprofessional. Even if one can endure the acting of the main characters but the acting of the side characters was a real eye sore.

Not recommended.

Not as bad as you might think.

[chris.bell · 7/10 · 2 December 1999]

It's been several years since I saw this film, but as low-budget as it is, I remember it was still kinda fun to watch. A guilty pleasure. Should've become a cult classic along with others like "Night of the Living Dead" and "Critters."

Maybe not as bad as Troll 2

[Screen-7 · 1/10 · 30 August 2010]

If found this movie almost unwatchable. If you like really bad movies, like Troll 2, then maybe you'd like this one.

It had a few mildly humorous moments -- even though I didn't laugh even once. The jokes where stilted and stale though.

The production values where terrible except for a little bit of nice makeup.

The plot made very little sense and there where endless plot holes.

I didn't find any of the characters compelling but it was interesting to see a few minor characters who would soon become big stars like Jerry Stiller.

If you are a fan of really bad movies, then you'll want to see this one. Otherwise, I recommend avoiding it.

One hell of a ride!

[gridoon · 8/10 · 12 April 2003]

Watch out for this one! It starts out as a slight horror comedy, gets increasingly more bizarre as it goes along, and finally adds up to something almost visionary. Certainly one of the most original and offbeat horror films to come out in a long time, this one almost demands a second viewing just to appreciate the imaginative production design, and a third just to catch all the throwaway gags (a sign reads "Road To Nowhere" and, in smaller letters, "Don't Buckle Up. It Won't Help"). Good cast, too, with Patric Bergin being perfectly enigmatic in the first half, perfectly imposing in the second. How refreshing to finally find a film that breaks away from the traditional formulas and dares to do something new and different! (***1/2)

An often overlooked guilty pleasure.

[innocuous · 6/10 · 27 October 2010]

Not, it's not really great art. Call it nostalgia, I guess, but I always get a kick out of this film. Usually I keep my comments short, but I think I'm going to wax for a bit about HtH.

The first big plus for this film is the cast, which includes all kinds of favorites, like Richard Farnsworth, Kristy Swanson, the Stillers, Patrick Bergin, etc., plus quite a few cameos by other noted personalities. Everybody (with the exception of the kid playing Adam) does a good job.

Second, the FX and soundtrack are pretty good. This was not a big-name, big-budget movie, but they took some care to make everything at least fairly high-rent. The soundtrack is extra-good.

Third, the story is decent and the script doesn't bite. It's basically a rework of the myth of Orpheus, with some not-so-subtle changes thrown in. The dialogue is a bit pretentious at times, but it's thankfully low-key and they don't waste all their time on exposition.

Which brings us to the fourth and final plus for this movie. The film is quite a bit more subtle than you might expect. Several plot points are not truly resolved and no explanations at all are offered for many others.

*****SPOILERS!*****

For example, why did Clara end up in Hell and what "decision" did she make about staying there? Is Rachel really in love with Charlie? Why are they eloping? What's the deal with Royce? I've come to the conclusion that there are some not-so-obvious aspects to the story that help it make more sense.

For one thing, I'm not convinced that Rachel (a hottie) is really that passionately in love (if at all) with Charlie, a guy driving a pizza delivery car. She sure doesn't appear to be. It seems like she's really more interested in getting away from her Mom and causing her pain, making sure to leave her Mom a note explaining that she's run off. Charlie appears to be just a tool for her to use. So, why's Rachel leaving? Who knows? Maybe her Mom is pushing her to enter school as a music student, since there seems to be something going on re her playing the violin.

I also believe that Rachel was killed when Charlie fell asleep at the wheel. That's why the Hellcop was able to come get her. This is much more in line with both the original myth and with the power that the Devil exercises over her.

As far as Clara and Royce go, I think that Clara was also killed on that stretch of highway. Again, she would have been a virgin and intended to be a bride of the Devil. However, I suspect that she fell for Royce and lost her virginity to him in Hell, both ruining her as a bride and alienating the Devil from Royce, his adopted son. This would have been the bad decision that Clara made.

*****END SPOILERS*****

So, check this movie out. It's definitely a product of the late 80s, but I really enjoy it.

''I believe this is crap, but fun crap"

[videorama-759-859391 · 3/10 · 15 October 2014]

Cheesy and trashy drive in flick, has a lot of originality and a likable performance from hero, Chad Lowe. Some of the sets and shots are memorable beautiful, that highway shot of all those v dubs was arresting. I have to take off my hat to the cinematographer and all the work that went into this, but beneath it all, is trash, honestly, and Kristy Swanson had me remembering how hot she was. There are some great car chases and suspense, among some wild effects. That merciless cop stole the movie, while I loved Ben Stiller's performance as a cook, bringing a lot of humor to the pic which in addition, helped. Also Gilbert Gottfried was classic as a Nazi sort, adding to the humor, who I really liked in this. The movie is really bad, but it's cheesy and exciting, the interior scenes, cheaply shot effectively adding to it's B appeal. On the lam from their Parents, Lowe and Swanson who are on their way to get married, make the dire mistake of taking a back road, from which they may not return, as this is the way to Hell, which in hindsight, doesn't really look that bad. Swanson's taken to hell by your not so normal cop, where boyfriend Lowe must get her back, proving quite a mission. That's basically the story. You be the judge.