Published on March 25, 2026
To supplement his income as a director early in his career, John Carpenter penned screenplays—several of which were subsequently produced without his involvement. He wrote the Western *Blood River* for John Wayne’s production company, intended as a star vehicle for The Duke, but he died before the movie was made.
Another Carpenter screenplay, written around 1980, was *Black Moon Rising*. Carpenter once described it as his “my car is stolen and I’m going to get it back story.” The script went unproduced for nearly a decade until *Black Moon Rising* was finally released in 1986. Although Carpenter received co-writing credit, he had no other involvement in the finished film and even claims to have never seen it.
Tommy Lee Jones stars as Quint, a high-tech thief employed to steal a data tape from a corrupt corporation. After successfully nabbing the tape, Quint finds himself in danger when a rival, now aligned with the bad guys, recognizes him. During a stop at a desert gas station, Quint conceals the tape in an experimental hydrogen-fueled car headed for Los Angeles, planning to retrieve it later.
However, Quint’s plans go awry when the car, along with numerous other luxury vehicles, is stolen from a nightclub parking lot. To recover the tape, he must follow the car thieves to a heavily secure twin-tower complex where the stolen vehicles are kept. This set-up promises high stakes, but the execution comes with its own challenges.
It’s a shame that John Carpenter did not direct *Black Moon Rising*. His aptitude for fast-paced action films with colorful characters shines through in works like *Escape from New York* and *Assault on Precinct 13*. In contrast, journeyman director Harley Cokeliss delivers a perfunctory heist film that is occasionally salvaged Jones’s convincing performance and modestly impressive car chases.
Jones effectively embodies the world-weary facade of Quint, suggesting that retirement is not an option for him. Linda Hamilton plays a car thief who becomes Quint’s love interest, sporting a quintessential ’80s perm and a feisty attitude. Unfortunately, she misses the empowering essence she exuded in *The Terminator* just two years earlier. The film also features an unexpected transition from their road trip to a lovemaking scene, which feels jarring and out of place.
The supporting cast includes seasoned actors like Robert Vaughn, Richard Jaeckel, and Kennan Wynn, but they are given limited opportunities to shine. Vaughn attempts to add creepiness to his villainous role, fixated on videos of Hamilton’s character during her “recruitment.”
Despite its drawbacks, the film does feature an extended heist sequence that builds toward a climactic showdown. While it may not rival classic heist films like *Topkapi* or *The Return of the Pink Panther*, it generates a reasonable amount of tension. If viewers keep their expectations low, *Black Moon Rising* can serve as a satisfactory popcorn movie, though it might leave one wanting more.
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