The Wraith

In an Arizona desert town, a gang led by Packard Walsh terrorizes the locals by forcing drivers into drag races with their cars as the prize. After Packard kills a young man named Jamie Hankins, a mysterious black car appears, challenging the gang members to races that prove fatal for them. At the same time, a stranger called Jake Kesey arrives in town, befriends Jamie's girlfriend Keri Johnson and takes Jamie's younger brother under his protection, working against the gang in ways the local sheriff has not managed.

The Wraith was released in 1986 and runs 93 minutes. It is an action and science fiction film produced by New Century Entertainment Corporation, Alliance Entertainment and Turbo Productions, with a budget of 3 million USD and a worldwide box office of 4 million USD. Mike Marvin wrote the screenplay and directed; John Kemeny produced. The cast includes Charlie Sheen as Jake Kesey and the Wraith, Nick Cassavetes as Packard Walsh, Sherilyn Fenn as Keri Johnson, Randy Quaid as Sheriff Loomis, Matthew Barry as Billy Hankins and Clint Howard as Rughead, among 20 credited cast members.

The Wraith was Mike Marvin's first directed feature, followed years later by Arranged Marriage and Sunstorm. On IMDb it holds a rating of 5.9/10 from 22,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.4/10 from 535 votes, while a critics' rating stands at 4.1/10 from 15 reviews. The budget and box office figures indicate a modest theatrical return, and the audience scores sit above the critics' rating.