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Rocket Car Jump: The Mad Canadian's Wild Stunt
24 Sep
Summary
- A movie revisits a 1970s rocket car jump stunt.
- The stunt aimed to cross the St. Lawrence River.
- The film explores the driver's courage and fear.
In the 1970s, Canadian stunt driver Ken Carter, known as "the Mad Canadian," conceived a daring plan to jump a rocket-powered car across the St. Lawrence River, traveling from Morrisburg, Ontario, to Ogden Island, N.Y. A new film, "The Stunt Driver," directed by Michael Dowse and starring Jay Baruchel as Carter, explores this audacious feat. The movie draws from the 1983 documentary "The Devil at Your Heels."
The film effectively portrays Carter not as a clown, but as a charismatic individual genuinely terrified of the risks involved. Baruchel's performance emphasizes Carter's humanity, supported by Ed Helms and Laurence Leboeuf as his engineer and girlfriend, who underscore his right to withdraw. Dowse's direction highlights the speed and physics of the planned jump, ensuring viewers grasp the danger.
