Review by Michael_Elliott

Hitcher, The (1986)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Here's another 80's film that I've heard a lot about but never got around to seeing. When the end credits started I hoped that the remake would fix all of the errors found here. A young boy (C. Thomas Howell) is taking a car from Chicago to San Diego when he stops and picks up a hitchhiker (Rutger Hauer). It turns out the hitchhiker is a psychopath who goes on a killing spree setting up the young boy as the killer. Soon the boy has the police after him as well as the killer. The only word that comes to mind in regards to this film is stupid. This is without question one of the dumbest films I've ever seen. Yes, films like this are certainly going to take liberties with things but this film is so incredibly over the top that I couldn't help but roll my eyes ever few seconds. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a waitress who, for some reason, goes with the boy but it's hard to believe she'd go with this guy. It's hard to believe that Hauer could take out half of the Texas police force. It's hard to believe any of the action sequences. It's hard to believe the ending. It's hard to believe anyone would take this film serious. The film tries to ask all sorts of deep questions about the connection between the two men but we never get any answers due to the stupid screenplay. Instead of a smart thriller we just get countless acts of violence, which are (surprise) stupid. Howell is a complete bore in his role and Leigh is wasted at every moment. Hauer comes off quite good but that's about it. A really, really bad movie all around.