The Hidden (1987)

Featured Audience Ratings

• xGary X

  
  A police detective puzzled by a rash of crimes in which seemingly ordinary, law abiding citizens suddenly become Ferrari stealing, bank robbing psychopaths comes to realize that the real perpetrator is not of this world. The Hidden could probably best be described as The Terminator… More
  A police detective puzzled by a rash of crimes in which seemingly ordinary, law abiding citizens suddenly become Ferrari stealing, bank robbing psychopaths comes to realize that the real perpetrator is not of this world. The Hidden could probably best be described as The Terminator meets David Cronenberg. The interesting concept is that an alien criminal comes to Earth and physically possesses its victims (with the help of some gruesome special effects that have stood the test of time surprisingly well), moving from body to body when the host becomes too damaged. This provides the perfect set up for some outrageous action sequences featuring machine gun toting strippers, police station shoot outs and high speed car chases punctuated with just the right amount of dry, tongue in cheek humour. Not only that, but the script is far more inventive than that of the average space monster B-movie and features a cast of faces that will be familiar to fans of cult TV series Twin Peaks as well as a blink-and-you'll-miss-it bit part for Danny Trejo. The resulting cocktail is a fast paced, funny and hugely entertaining sci-fi shoot 'em up that's something of a forgotten gem.

• Tim S

  
  The Hidden, a Jack Sholder-directed 80's sci-fi fest, is about as entertaining as one would hope it to be. The film can be quite disgusting at times with the marvelous special effects put to good use in it... not to mention the very fine cast on display. The ending is a bit too… More
  The Hidden, a Jack Sholder-directed 80's sci-fi fest, is about as entertaining as one would hope it to be. The film can be quite disgusting at times with the marvelous special effects put to good use in it... not to mention the very fine cast on display. The ending is a bit too soft, but the journey there is well worth taking. Basically, a body-switching alien runs amock in Los Angeles, killing everyone in it's way, and the cops are hot on his trail. Unfortunately, the softer aspects of the story keep it from being a real masterpiece. It gets too mushy at times without really caring about what it's being mushy about. Regardless, if you enjoyed Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2's subtleties and performances, then there's a good chance you'll enjoy this one, as well.

• Justin Y

  
  When there is an action sci-fi mixed bag with Kyle MacLachlan as the lead, you will have a blockbuster on your hands right? I think not, but this isn't a total waste of time if you like 80s buddy cop type movies.<p>There is a sci-fi concept behind the story, but overall,… More
  When there is an action sci-fi mixed bag with Kyle MacLachlan as the lead, you will have a blockbuster on your hands right? I think not, but this isn't a total waste of time if you like 80s buddy cop type movies.<p>There is a sci-fi concept behind the story, but overall, the movie feels like a crime thriller. Most of the film deals with detective work, but there is quiet a bit of action in here. Right at the beginning of the film, you are thrown into a pretty good car chase, which ends in a frenzy of bullets. From here on out the 90 minutes goes by rather quickly.</p><p>As far as the rest of the action goes, there are a lot of shootouts and a couple of decent car chases. There is nothing special about any of this, except for the cheap CG laser, but you need to remember that this is 80s action. With that said, it is OK. You get your share of blood and swearing too.</p><p>Another good element of the film is the changing of the villain. Throughout the film, there are 6 different actors that play the bad guy and this really does keep the villain fresh.</p><p>The acting is OK at best. It's difficult to say that Kyle MacLachlan actually pulls off the lead, since he and Michael Nouri seem like equals when it comes to character development and airtime. As far as the supporting cast goes, you can't go wrong with a young Claudia Christian strutting her stuff around. Don't forget to be on the lookout for a Danny Trejo cameo.</p><p>This is one of those films that you can live without seeing, but if you are flipping through the channels, don't be afraid to leave this on.

• Brian D

  
  Hidden is a rare 80's beast. Alien body swaping film with action and gore with a great 80's rock music. Has dated since 1987 but that what must it a little more special.Worth checking out if you havn't seen it.

• Dean M

  
  Quite silly <i>Alien / The Thing</i> hybrid which although marred by sluggish directing.

• Steven V

  
  Quite silly Alien / The Thing hybrid which although marred by sluggish directing. The acting and the storyline was bad.

• monty h

  
  Cool 80's sci-fi/action flick about a mysterious FBI Agent (Kyle MacLachlan) arriving in LA to track down a serial killer with the help of veteran LA detective Tom Beck (Michael Nouri). But it seems the killer is not who he seems and once the fed lets Beck in on the secret..that… More
  Cool 80's sci-fi/action flick about a mysterious FBI Agent (Kyle MacLachlan) arriving in LA to track down a serial killer with the help of veteran LA detective Tom Beck (Michael Nouri). But it seems the killer is not who he seems and once the fed lets Beck in on the secret..that they are actually hunting an alien who is jumping from body to body, the fun really begins. For an 80's flick, The Hidden holds up remarkably well. MacLachlan and Nouri make an effective odd couple duo and the action scenes are extremely exciting. A bonus is Claudia Christian as a stripper who is one of the bodies the alien uses for a little bit. She is a sight to behold, looking gorgeous but also deadly as she packs an automatic machine gun with grenade launcher. Car chases, shoot outs, and a little humor make The Hidden a winner. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Doctor: Detective Beck. No one deserves to die like that. I don't care what the man's done. Cliff Willis: He killed twelve people, wounded twenty three more, stole six cars, most of them Ferraris. Robbed eight banks, six supermarkets, four jewelery stores and a candy shop. Six of the ones he killed he carved up with a butcher knife. Two of them were kids. He did all that in two weeks. If anyone deserves to go that way, it sure in the hell was him.

• alan j

  
  A precursor to "Men In Black"...unfortunately, no Tommy Lee Jones or Will Smith here...some decent action, shoot-outs and car chasing for this B-grade effort. Acting is rather wooden and this story won't win any awards, but it is mildly entertaining for what is is..

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