Highwaymen, directed by Robert Harmon, promises to capitalize at least on Mr Caviezel’s proven driving skills.
Mr Caviezel’s character, Rennie Cray, pursues his wife’s killer. Both men drive muscle cars as extensions of their characters.
Robert Harmon
Although he apparently moves effortlessly between film and television, Harmon’s stories span action-romance to science fiction.
His films include “Hitcher”, “Eyes of an Angel”, “Nowhere to Run” and “They”.
Harmon’s television work includes, “Taken”, “Level 9”, and “Gotti”.
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Character Rennie Cray
Rennie Cray loses his wife to a maniacal killer, who uses his 1972 Cadillac Eldorado to hunt down and kill women. The serial killer murders women as a way of expressing his rage over a woman who broke his heart—or other motivation, subject to interpretation.
Cray, now obsessed, sets out to find this serial killer driving his 1968 super-stock, 426 hemi-head Plymouth muscle car.
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Initial Details
Added June 13, 2002
Breaking News We understand Mr Caviezel has signed for a film titled “Highwayman”*. Details are sketchy, but we’ll post updates as we get them throughout the day.
Added June 13, 2002, Second Update
Variety notes that Craig Mitchell ("“Komodo”) and Hans Bauer (“Anaconda”) wrote the suspense thriller.
Added July 24, 2002
Variety notes that Rhona Mitra joins Mr Caviezel in “Highwaymen”*. Her previous work includes “Gideon’s Crossing“ and “Party of Five“ on television. She appears in two films this year, “Sweet Home Alabama” and “The Life of David Gale”.
We found a site that lists August 12, 2002 as the date that production begins. Whether that means principal photography or not, we don’t know, nor have we located the shooting locale. Nor do we know if this means that Mr Caviezel is available to report on that day.
Added August 12, 2002
We learn from Dealmemo.com that Hans Bauer and Craig Mitchell wrote the script; that Mike Marcus, Carol Kemp and Millennium Films’ Brad Jenkel will produce “Highwaymen”. Executive producer credits to go Millennium’s Avi Lerner and to Trevor Short. New Line production executives Lynn Harris and David Brewington will oversee the film for the studio.
Added August 29, 2002
As you know, it’s not our style to publish rumours, so know in advance that we have not confirmed this, but we understand that “Highwaymen” filming is taking place in Toronto. Nor can we confirm that Mr Caviezel is involved.
Added September 17, 2002, thanks to EI
From The St. Catherine’s Standard we read that the Thorold tunnel beneath the Welland Canal overnight this past Sunday and early Monday morning may have looked like an accident scene.
Alas, it’s only Hollywood. Highway 58 was blocked for a scene depicting cars driving into the tunnel. Effects included dust, smoke and “...big balloon lights...” over everything. RCMP handled traffic delays.
The production company is using the sleek Thorold tunnel locale for exterior shots; they ordered a 100-yard tunnel to be created in Toronto for the inside-the-tunnel scenes.
This newspaper calls the film Highwaymen.
Added September 22, 2002, thanks to JK
We understand that filming continues tonight on the campus of the University of Toronto, having occurred there at least one night, where filming took place on the main part of the campus.
JK has agreed to let us know whether or not Mr Caviezel is involved in the filming, since the crew may be simply capturing exteriors.
JK saw signs labeled ‘Highwaymen’ and before long, we may be able to settle on the correct name for this project.
Added September 23, 2002, thanks to JK
In the Sunday night filming on the campus of the University of Toronto, this time around the Orchestra Hall, JK spotted Mr Caviezel wearing an orange parka.
Added October 3, 2002, thanks to M
We too read Greg’s notice dated September 30 on upcomingmovies.com that Mr Caviezel had passed on “Highwaymen” in order to prepare for “The Passion”.
On investigating the discrepancy, we received two confirmations from the University of Toronto that indeed filming occurred on the campus in Convocation Hall and on the Con Hall Plaza overnight on September 21 and 22.
We have further confirmation that Mr Caviezel is today, finishing up principal photography on this film.
Added October 15, 2002, thanks to HS
We are deeply humbled that Greg Dean Schmitz from UpcomingMovies.com—now hosted by Yahoo! Movies—named this page as the Unofficial Actor Fan Site on his “Highwaymen” page.
Added January 21, 2003
Finally, a few snaps of Mr Caviezel from this film.
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Pre-Release Notes
We will remind you kind reader, that this film is currently in process, with no guarantee about what will happen to it in the future. We remain vigilant, however, for news updates and especially appreciate those that you send to us.
Added March 9, 2003 thanks to EI
We understand, and have confirmed this news on Greg’s site, that this film is currently scheduled for wide release on a Wednesday, August 27, 2003.
Added April 17, 2003 thanks to MW
We believe in giving a movie every chance to be as great as it can be, which means waiting until all the production elements are complete and the film is officially released. When people review movies in advance of their release, sometimes their motivations are unclear.
Ain’t it Cool News offers two pre-release reviews, the first of which says some rather nice things about Mr Caviezel’s work. The second, however, could be called a little self-serving, in our opinion.
Added April 19, 2003 thanks to EI, updated April 22, 2003
We understand that the newest Entertainment Weekly coverage of summer movies includes “Highwaymen” and that Robert Harman has some rather nice things to say about why he chose Mr Caviezel to play the lead character.
The issue you want is labeled as a special double issue, #706 and 707, April 25, 2003. The article about “Highwaymen”—note the spelling—is included within the summer movie preview.
Of Mr Caviezel, Harmon says, “He has this clear moral standing just [from] the way he looks—something about his crystal eyes”. In telling this story, it’s important that Mr Caviezel’s character project to the audience that “...somewhere under there is a good man who’s been thoroughly screwed up.”
To balance the April 17th entry, this review predicts that “...this could be a spooky sleeper”. This source confirms the August 27 opening date.
Added May 11, 2003
We found a series of production photos that you too might enjoy seeing.
Added June 17, 2003
Thanks to Greg’s Previews, we want you to know that the release date for “Highwaymen” has been pushed back to December 5, 2003.
Added July 13, 2003, thanks to EI
Finally, you can see the trailer. Also note that we located the official domain name for the film: watch our FAQ, below, so that when the site is available you can view it.
Added July 20, 2003, thanks to EI
We understand release has been bumped up to December 3, 2003. We don’t know if this bump is for wide release or limited release. As soon as we know, you’ll know.
Added October 17, 2003, thanks again to EI
This film may indeed be bumped into 2004. Stay tuned for more details; as we find them, we’ll post them. Now let us pray that all this bumping does not make this film another “Madison”.
Added November 1, 2003
Who knows when this film will be released? We’re seeing it named in some holiday movie lists, while others contend that running against its early December competition is reason enough to push it into 2004.
Added November 18, 2003
MSN Entertainment shows this film due in theatres on December 5, 2003. Please, when you see trailers, send us a note. That may be the best indicator that the film is indeed scheduled to release on that day.
Added December 1, 2003
Alas, what seems to be lacking in signals for this film’s release this week, are any adverts or previews with films currently showing in the film houses anywhere in North America that we can find. So all listings to the contrary, we believe the wait until 2004 is required before we can enjoy this film.
Added January 15, 2004, thanks to MW, updated January 28, with thanks again
Good News! We learn that the official site now reads “In Theaters February 13”.
Update Limited release may include New Mexico and Texas as part of the American Southwest, according to one report. If you live in a geography where this film plays, please buy a ticket, so that its distribution in theatres might be expanded.
Added January 29, 2004
We did see an entry in the Winston-Salem [North Carolina] Journal, however, noting the opening day of February 13.
Added February 14, 2004
Meanwhile, fans who live in Texas have an option to watch Mr Caviezel work before ‘Passion’ hits theatres: New Line Cinema is testing “Highwaymen” in a limited, 111-theater run in the state.
*Note We find both spellings of this film, “Highwayman” and “Highwaymen”, both from Variety.
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Interviews and Reviews
Added February 16, 2004
As we post these reviews, please remember, dear reader, here too, that apparently Mr Caviezel tells stories on film based on his ability to believe in the character’s transformational arch. Clearly, he is more interested in telling good stories than pandering to the commercial aspects of the film industry.
From Variety, we learn that “...‘Highwaymen’ fires on all cylinders as an edgy and unnerving road-kill thriller. Pic appears pre-ordained to be a cult item rather than a B.O. contender. Inexplicably rerouted from originally announced summer 2003 wide rollout, limited theatrical run presumably is a formality before high-octane suspenser takes the fast lane to homevid.”
One Texas paper chose to offer this advice.
According to an account in SignOnSanDiego.com, “In narrow release, the murder thriller ‘Highwaymen,’ starring Jim Caviezel, debuted weakly [against an un-named measurement] with $203,000 in 111 theaters for an average of $1,829 [per screen].”
Added June 30, 2004
From the Financial Times of London, we read:
“‘Highwaymen’ is a high—technology ‘Duel’ with a dash of Cronenberg’s ‘Crash’. Two obsessives try to smash one another to pieces in their embattled motors. One is Jim (“Messiah”) Caviezel. Nonsense; but Robert Harmon creates a real nightmare world, filmed through a lens darkly by Rene Ohashi.”
All this in anticipation of the film opening in Britian this weekend.
Wherever you can, pick up a copy of the London Telegraph magazine from Saturday, July 3, 2004. Jonathan Green’s article about Mr Caviezel appears there. We’re looking for an online version, and just haven’t located it yet.
Added July 4, 2004
Our British cousins are rather enjoying the film, based on this review from Scotland’s Sunday Harold:
“Robert Harmon’s cult thriller The Hitcher was a wonderfully malign tale in which Rutger Hauer’s psychopathic hitch-hiker was enough to kill the good Samaritan in any driver. Now Harmon takes to the road again—turning the tables on himself, in a sense, with a film in which a mysterious driver criss-crosses America hit-and-running pedestrians, just for the fun of it.
“Jim Caviezel, looking good after his brutal treatment as Mel Gibson’s Jesus, is the man who, having seen his wife mown down, is obsessed with catching the killer. And he has a charismatically growling engine to back him up.
“Unlike Nick Hamm, Harmon has no pretensions here. He shamelessly steals the fetishism of David Cronenberg’s Crash and the nihilism of Mad Max, while borrowing the malign mood of his own road movie, melding it all together with some spectacular set pieces (not least a pile-up involving a horse in a tunnel) to make a custom-made B-movie that is, as such, really rather satisfying.”
Added July 5, 2004
Mr Caviezel speaks about his own penchant for Driving Fast Cars in this Sunday Life (UK) interview.
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Other Notes
Added June 22, 2004, thanks to MR and J, and others
“Highwaymen” opened in the British Isles over the July 4th weekend.
We understand that this film will be released on DVD in the US on August 24, 2004.
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FAQ
Question
Where can I find the official site?
Answer
We located the domain name, and thanks to EI on August 17, 2003, can now finally see the site.
As well, this link to Upcoming Movies covers pertinent details.
