Eric Red wrote some fascinating genre scripts in the 80's, including this and "Near Dark" (which he co-scripted with Kathryn Bigelow), and what distinguishes both of them is nihilism. Robert Harmon's "The Hitcher" is an atmospheric suspense thriller probably inspired by the Ida Lupino flick, "The Hitch Hiker", or one of the best "Twilight Zone" episodes that explored similar terrain. In "The Hitcher", Rutger Hauer is a psychopath whose idea of fun is terrorizing C. Thomas Howell and his companion Jennifer Jason Leigh. He has unexplained supernatural abilities to travel faster than your average maniac, and his motives are deliberately vague. This approach works for the most part, but once the film hits the sixty minute mark, its very spare structure fails to support the narrative. There are some amazing car stunts, high-powered violence, and stunning images courtesy of Aussie lenser John Seale. Leigh, who is a superb actress, has the leastrole here, and, not surprisingly, ends up bring ripped into two bloody halves because there's nothiong else to do with her. Hauer is exceptional in the lead role, and was never this good or this frightening again. The fact that he has so little dialog is what keeps him interesting. Too much dialog for a villain is always death. C. Thomas Howell, a limited actor, is adequate as Hauer's innocent victim. Director Harmon returned to similar terrain recently in the lacklustre "Highwaymen". Score by Mark Isham is a plus.
Review of The Hitcher
