The Hitcher (1986)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Bob S

  
  Jennifer Jason Lee is the actress I dislike the most. No wait, that would be Reese Witherspoon. Rutger Hauer is cool but he's wasted in this lame thriller. Slight upside: Jennifer Jason Lee gets torn in half. Hmmm, maybe there's a movie where Reese Witherspoon gets… More
  Jennifer Jason Lee is the actress I dislike the most. No wait, that would be Reese Witherspoon. Rutger Hauer is cool but he's wasted in this lame thriller. Slight upside: Jennifer Jason Lee gets torn in half. Hmmm, maybe there's a movie where Reese Witherspoon gets ripped in half...

• John M

  
  This was an amazing thrill ride one of the best ive ever seen. Rutger Hauer is awesome in this role.

• Unknown H

  
  This movie is the definition of watchable horror. Its fast enough to keep you interested, sick enough to make it onto your shelf and memorable enough to watch it again and again, without ever actually getting bored of it.

• Drew S

  
  Guns are bad choices of weaponry for a horror movie. They widen the gap between stalker and stalked, give the protagonists more opportunity to empower themselves (and by proxy the audience), and just seem to lack the same bodily threat that melee weapons do. As menacing as Rutger… More
  Guns are bad choices of weaponry for a horror movie. They widen the gap between stalker and stalked, give the protagonists more opportunity to empower themselves (and by proxy the audience), and just seem to lack the same bodily threat that melee weapons do. As menacing as Rutger Hauer is as the titular hitcher, John Ryder, the scenes of him barreling down the highway and blowing cops in pursuit away with a handful of hot lead really lack any sort of horrific impact. We get a few spooky setpieces, such as a police station or a little problem with Jennifer Jason Leigh, but The Hitcher's persistent brightness and lack of interest in actual fear seems to defeat it as its marketed genre. It is instead best taken as a dust-choked actioner, sort of in the vein of Blood Simple or even No Country for Old Men, except without quite the technical proficiency or depth of theme. It's a much more natural fit for Hauer's gunslinging sociopath, who's really too showy for a horror movie anyway - but what a show it is. This film has a lot of character, but know what you're getting yourself into before you expect brutal horror violence or a constantly dark and sinister atmosphere.

• David L

  
  There are movies inspired by books, by comics, even by video-games but this is the first time I've seen and heard of a movie inspired by a song. More precisely the song is "Riders On The Storm" by "The Doors" . What is even more surprising is that it turned… More
  There are movies inspired by books, by comics, even by video-games but this is the first time I've seen and heard of a movie inspired by a song. More precisely the song is "Riders On The Storm" by "The Doors" . What is even more surprising is that it turned out to be one very suspenseful and entertaining movie. "The Hitcher" doesn't depend on delivering a solid and memorable experience based on a strong plot-line. Instead it relies on the simple premise of a character being chased by a relentless and sociopathic killer. This could have easily been mistaken for a John Carpenter film, it feels like a combination of "Halloween" and "Assault On Precinct 13". Not because of the plot or backgrounds, but more so because of it's focus on delivering a high paced thrilling and also terrifying experience based on the director's skill alone. There is a simple idea and the director builds on it, setting the atmosphere and pace. Like watching a game of "cat and mouse" on a roller-coaster ride. When it starts falling down hold tight until the next climb. In order for a film like this to even begin thinking that it could be a good, one objective must be accomplished. Strong written characters that react believable to the given situation. "The Hitcher" has that. With Jim Halsey (played by C. Thomas Howell), a normal guy who's just a little too naive for his own good. As the movie progresses we see him change, we see him adapt to the situation. He questions himself, he questions his beliefs and then he fights back. And what can be said about Rutger Hauer's John Ryder? He is the epitome of evil, of death. Yet he has that look, of a man pushed to the limit and beyond, a man who understands what he has become and wants to stop himself. Hauer's character emanates that same aura Clint Eastwood's character had in "High Plains Drifter", there is just something supernatural to him. We never get an explanation on who he really is. Only a feel, a slight glimpse, that he might be something beyond a simple killer and this might be something beyond a thrill ride. This is one movie that after the credits begin to roll you'll find yourself thinking about. It certainly ends in a open way, and there are some interesting interpretations that go way beyond it's premise. Director Robert Harmon has done a wonderful job in turning this inspired by "The Doors"'s music, script into a memorable and terrifying ride. Both Hauer and Howell are great as their respective characters with tensions rising whenever they're both on screen. And with a running time of 97 minutes there never is a dull moment, "The Hitcher" doesn't drag on nor does it feel cut in any sort of way. What we have in the end is perfectly balanced in terms of pace, movie with a fitting conclusion to it. When released "The Hitcher" received a lot of bashing from critics. They didn't like the fact that Ryder's character remains "unexplained", in fact they hated it for that. If there had been included a simple reason for Ryder's behavior wouldn't this turn the film into a just another simple serial murderer type thriller? Or worse yet it would have destroyed the film's almost supernatural feel, it would have eliminated any reasons for a deeper analysis on the plot and characters. Furthermore it would have killed the strength of the ending. Sometimes you must let all your expectations for a deep and complex movie go, in order to be entertained. And sometimes you must accept the fact that not everything in a movie is easily explained, sometimes you're prompted to think beyond the traditional methods of storytelling. Weirdly enough "The Hitcher" combines both, it can be a deep and intriguing movie for some, but it could also be a pop-corn flick for others.

• Lucas M

  
  O clima assustador faz com que o filme fique cada vez mas tenso e garante que a pessoa que esta assistindo, acompanhe a estória atà (C) ao fim.

• Jeff "

  
  This is a cool little gem of Horror, C. Thomas Howell and Rutger Hauer, especially Rutger Hauer are really good. Hauer put on a really convincing performance and was definitely great, He should be up there with the Horror maniacs such as Jason, Freddy, and Michael Myers. Back to the… More
  This is a cool little gem of Horror, C. Thomas Howell and Rutger Hauer, especially Rutger Hauer are really good. Hauer put on a really convincing performance and was definitely great, He should be up there with the Horror maniacs such as Jason, Freddy, and Michael Myers. Back to the film, this film is a thrill a minute roller coaster ride, once the film starts, it doesn't stray to far away from the Horror yet to come. Overall a very solid Horror/Thriller. What I love about this film is the steady buildup of tension that leads to ultimate horror. The Hitcher is a superbly crafted horror film. The film is a tense ride into madness that doesn't let up, and will entertain the most diehard horror fan. The Hitcher combines elements of thriller, suspense and psychological elements to create one memorable film that is one of the best horror films of the 80's and is quite possibly the best horror film to deal with the open road. The film has surreal undertone that demands to be watched as a nightmare . The cat and mouse game that John Ryder plays with his victim is terrifying and the viewer is sucked in to the madness and chaos than Ryder ensues on his victims.

• AJ V

  
  A very cool, exciting horror thriller, I really liked this movie.

• Lady D

  
  the ending for me lacked a little explanation, especially as the question to why the killer was killing was asked during the film. Rutger Hauer was kind of good as the relentless chaser, but a lot of boring bits throughout.

• Wahida K

  
  There is no other better Hitcher than the one with Sean Bean my Friends. Forget all the Hitchers ever made except the one with Sean Bean. As much as I like C. Thomas Howell, I found myself forwarding the Movie if there was a atleast a tiny bit nice scene.

• Conner R

  
  Just a great movie. It will probably make everyone who watches it never want to pick up a hitchhiker ever again. C. Thomas Howell and Rutger Hauer played off each other so well, giving a creepier overall effect. Jennifer Jason Leigh was also really good. The way the movie is shot is… More
  Just a great movie. It will probably make everyone who watches it never want to pick up a hitchhiker ever again. C. Thomas Howell and Rutger Hauer played off each other so well, giving a creepier overall effect. Jennifer Jason Leigh was also really good. The way the movie is shot is amazing, you get a great sense of isolation. It's surprisingly one of the better horror movies to come out of the 80's, mainly on the fact that it is so original.

• Daniel M

  
  As low-budget horror films go, The Hitcher is up with the best, both in its ambition and in the quality of the finished product. It differs from many other mainstream 1980s horror films in its general lack of gore or shocking special effects. Instead, The Hitcher is built on creating… More
  As low-budget horror films go, The Hitcher is up with the best, both in its ambition and in the quality of the finished product. It differs from many other mainstream 1980s horror films in its general lack of gore or shocking special effects. Instead, The Hitcher is built on creating the same sense of paranoid tension which made Alien and The Shining such riveting and inventive classics. While it cannot hold a candle to them on its own terms, when compared to similar low-budget fare it comes out very well. Like all the best horror films, The Hitcher does not just throw everything at the screen in the vain hope that the audience will be scared. At the core of the film is a debate about the ambiguous and corrupting nature of violence. Much like Wes Craven?s Last House on the Left, its message seems to be that violence begets violence, and that once you become involved with violence, you will lose yourself to it. This is evident in the relationship between the two central characters. C. Thomas Howell starts off as a young, easy-going, law-abiding citizen. But the second that Rutger Hauer gets in the car, he starts to change into someone every bit as impulsive and spontaneous as his passenger. From the first time he flings Hauer out of the car, he is wrestling with himself; he knows what he has to do to defeat him, but he still wants to be a law-abiding citizen and get on with his life. Think about how many times he pulls a gun on someone in the film, but yet he never has the intention of killing anyone. That is, until the final scene. After wrestling with himself for the whole film, alternating between a felon and a victim, Howell runs Hauer over with the police truck, and then shoots him three times in the chest. In that moment the transformation becomes complete. Even if Howell is not a psychopath, even if he never intended bad things to happen, the fact remains that he is now a murderer. At the start of the film, we see a faceless Hauer lighting up a cigarette; at the end, Howell leans against a car and lights a cigarette against the sunset. It?s a cruel victory for Hauer, reminiscent of the far-more famous scene from Se7en in which Brad Pitt gives in to wrath and shoots Kevin Spacey. The sense of tension created in The Hitcher is surprisingly impressive. Just as Ridley Scott did in Alien, director Robert Harmon understands that true fear comes from withholding the villainous presence, so the audience creates the paranoia for themselves. The badlands setting, with its empty roads, arid plains and sporadic patches of civilisation, keep the audience on their toes. The opening encounter with Hauer is so scary and unexpected that throughout the film one is terrified that he could jump out at any moment and slaughter our heroes. Whenever Hauer does appear, for instance in the motel room, he flings the audience off their seats with sheer fright. If you love his performance in Blade Runner, you?ll love him in this. Certain elements of The Hitcher prevent it from being a masterpiece. Some of the acting is quite noticeably wooden; Howell walks like a cowboy constantly about to draw, and Jennifer Jason Leigh is a little two-dimensional at times. The film is around fifteen minutes too long, with a couple of chase sequences feeling superfluous and not adding to the tension. And some of the effects shots look really fake. There is, for example, a scene in which a helicopter chases our heroes, before being shot down by a single bullet from an ordinary handgun. Two cars then crash into each other and flip over and over with no explanation. It?s like being in a Roger Corman film, only not quite as good. For all these niggling faults, The Hitcher remains more than just your average, disposable shocker. It?s a horror film which takes a compelling idea and presents it in a refreshing way. Despite being too long, it does not really overstay its welcome or pull its punches at the end, creating a result which is both terrifying and memorable. Above all, the film creates impeccable tension by its willingness to withhold its villain and focus on the paranoia of the protagonists. It?s not up there with Alien, but it?s certainly to be admired.

• Anthony L

  
  Great film, a cross between Night of the Hunter, Vanishing Point and Duel. Rutger Hauer is suitably creepy as the bad guy, he doesn't need a hockey Mask to scare the shit out of you. I loved the fantastic car chases through the atmospheric desert, they add something a little… More
  Great film, a cross between Night of the Hunter, Vanishing Point and Duel. Rutger Hauer is suitably creepy as the bad guy, he doesn't need a hockey Mask to scare the shit out of you. I loved the fantastic car chases through the atmospheric desert, they add something a little different to your usual horror movie. I also liked the way the main character vomits a lot. That's realism. There isn't enough vomiting in horror films!

• Martin S

  
  Some parts was great....some parts was less great. but overall it was good. It could have been better

• Luke B

  
  Fun, exciting and shit achingly intense. Like the remake it shoots off from the opening seconds. Unlike the remake it works thanks to Hauers excellent and menacing performance. It also adds an extra element of fear by having Howell as a lone traveller as opposed to a cute couple. It… More
  Fun, exciting and shit achingly intense. Like the remake it shoots off from the opening seconds. Unlike the remake it works thanks to Hauers excellent and menacing performance. It also adds an extra element of fear by having Howell as a lone traveller as opposed to a cute couple. It makes the polices suspicions of him more real and tragic. It's action all the way pretty much, though a bit more of Hauer would have been appreciated. Hasn't aged a bit and really is a more satisfying treat than watching the remake.

• Cassandra M

  
  cat spends the day chasing a mouse. When he finally corners the mouse, he takes sadistic delight in batting it around, playing with it before it goes in for the kill. The cat wishes to savor the look of fear on its prey, instead of merely indulging the reward it's worked so hard… More
  cat spends the day chasing a mouse. When he finally corners the mouse, he takes sadistic delight in batting it around, playing with it before it goes in for the kill. The cat wishes to savor the look of fear on its prey, instead of merely indulging the reward it's worked so hard to catch. This is the predator/prey relationship evidenced in "The Hitcher," one of the most relentlessly intense and mean-spirited horror films ever made. Since the setting is the desert, I suppose it would make more sense to call John Ryder (played by Rutger Hauer) a vicious coyote, who is picked up one rainy night by a stray lamb named Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell). Ryder, who's apparently been murdering people all over the desert, is looking to do the same with Halsey, who cheats death only to be tormented for the rest of the film by this savage predator. The coyote craves a challenge--in fact, he seems to live for it. Nothing else needs to be said. "The Hitcher" relies so heavily on a plot that weaves in and out of 'the expected' that any further description would spoil the fun. The two leads are excellent--Rutger Hauer has created one of the great villains of modern cinema, and C. Thomas Howell is a sympathetic and believable victim driven to madness. While the film isn't necessarily deep, the high-energy cast, moody desert settings and twisty script fuel this effort for 98 intense minutes

• Tsubaki S

  
  Average thriller, but damn if Rutger Hauer wasnt creepy in this. I remember watching it as a kid and getting quite scared. Is the type of cheesy fun that was possible just in the 80's.

• Jason S

  
  This is a good example of someone being forced to lose their mind. Hauer was the perfect choice to play the hitcher and he seems to enjoy it a little too much at points. We travel with Howell as he is slowly driven mad by being hunted by the mad man. It's good. There isn't… More
  This is a good example of someone being forced to lose their mind. Hauer was the perfect choice to play the hitcher and he seems to enjoy it a little too much at points. We travel with Howell as he is slowly driven mad by being hunted by the mad man. It's good. There isn't much to it but the movie puts forth a mood that fits the film and the actors make the characters feel real enough.

• Jason D

  
  Jennifer Jason Leigh is a babe in this. Pretty good road movie too. Recommended.

• jay n

  
  vile, mean spirited movie

Read all 20 featured audience ratings