The Hitcher (1986)
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| Directed by: |
Robert
Harmon
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| Starring: |
Rutger
Hauer/John Ryder |
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C.
Thomas Howell/Jim |
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Jennifer
Jason Leigh/Nash |
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| RATING
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PLOT-CRUNCH:
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Jim (Howell) is driving a driveway car to San Diego. He picks up a
mysterious hitchhiker (Hauer) who winds up being a soulless serial killer.
He gets rid of him but the somber hitcher keeps reappearing on his road,
murdering folks and playing cat and mouse with him. The cops think Jim is
the culprit and if he doesn’t do something fast, he’s the one that
will wind up in the electric chair. There’s no other way to cut it: Jim
must face the hitcher.
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THE
LOWDOWN: |
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Moody, existential, road/serial killer flick that hits notes most thriller
don't even dare reach for. First off I have to admire a film that relies
mostly on action to tell it’s story and doesn’t sacrifice character development
in the process. There’s hardly any dialogue in this film, the action
never lets up but the characters are still very prominent. The
relationship between Jim and John Ryder is an ambiguous one and it’s up
to the audience to figure it out. Is that homosexual undertones I smell? I
think so. (the way the Hitcher plays with Jim’s spit is a strong
indication of that) The hitcher’s motivation are also up for grabs. Does
he want to die? Is tormenting Jim making him feel alive? Is he trying to
teach him something? I also know the hitcher is a symbol. Does he symbolize
the hardships of life, the obstacles you go over that eventually make you
a stronger person? Does he represent all the evil in the world embodied
into one man? Whatever the man is, Jim grows due to the hitcher’s
violent entrance into his life, he goes from a scared feeble young man to
a no bull, tough guy. I’m also pleased to say that the movie doesn’t
jump on the "love interest" band wagon. It would have been so
easy to have Nash and Jim hop in the sack, but the flick doesn’t go that
way, not losing it’s focus and staying true to it’s audience.
All the ambiguity is
what makes this flick so special. It makes us think. The dialogue although
brief is very clever. To top everything off, the flick also offers us
fantastic action set pieces. Awesome car chase scenes, helicopter chaos,
extreme violence (mostly suggested) and a chilling villain that you just
cant put your finger on. I think we hit the perfect thriller here. Lets
hitch a ride with this one…
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| ACTING: |
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This is Rutger Hauer’s best part since Roy Batty the android in Blade
Runner. His Aryan looks serve him well… again. The hitcher is a scary,
funny, sad, murderous, enigmatic character and Hauer is up for it. He confirms
the fact that he’s a great actor, too bad the Hollywood big boys forgot
about him. C Thomas Howell (Jim) does good here, communicating Jim’s
every emotion through his goofy face (he pulls the funniest faces in the
diner scene). I never was a big fan but here it’s perfect casting.
Jennifer Jason Leigh (Nash) is younger, chubbier and cuter. She also gives
a strong show as the waitress caught in the middle of it all. She takes a
simple part and gives it depth.
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| GORE: |
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A few disturbing images. The violence is mostly offscreen, letting the
audience do the work. Dead families a dog snacking on a dead cop, the
french fry finger and of course the mack truck incident (that's all I’ll
say). The movie is mean spirited but not visually too gory.
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| T
& A: |
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C. Thomas Howell’s cut chest…sorry girls, no butt shots.
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| DIRECTING: |
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The movie looks good. Beautiful scenery of the desert landscapes, creepy,
rainy nights and tightly directed action sequences. Slap in some slow
motion and lots of close ups of Hauer’s face and you get a film that
bathes in beauty, clashing with the ugly happenings. Good work Harmon.
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| SOUNDTRACK: |
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The eerie score plays a strong part in the film, it keeps on reminding us
that we’re not watching a typical bang bang action flick. It points to
the underlying events, that are going on.
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| BOTTOM LINE: |
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Definitely one for the books. It delivers all the goods and
then some. A thriller with brains, an action flick with soul, a horror
film with purpose. The Hitcher is one of those rare films that works on
all it’s level, not spelling it out for the audience and still managing
to entertain. This film is in a league of it’s own…pick up The Hitcher
and see what I’m talking about…
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| BULL'S EYE: |
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C. Thomas Howell said that he was frightened of Hauer on the set but that
he learned a lot by watching and listening to the man.
This film was written by Eric Red.
He co-wrote Blue Steel and Near Dark with Kathryn Bigelow. He also wrote
and directed Body Parts and Bad Moon.
Rumor has it Hitcher Part 2
might be heading our way.
Discuss
this movie on The Arrow's HORROR BOARD
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