Wednesday, November 22, 2017

200 Items Or Less: The Hitcher (1986)

A few thoughts: Held back by one of the most insanely stupid lead characters in the history of the horror genre (which is saying something), but elevated by some of Rutger Hauer's best work, this is a cat and mouse slasher road movie with plenty of action, blood, and a wonderful western setting. While it's super easy to criticize the main character and all of his decidedly dumb choices from beginning to end, this movie can be forgiven for the fact that in critical situations, people do tend to behave strangely. But this aside, there really is a lot to love about this movie -- and I'm not just talking about the wonderfully creepy and quietly intense villain. The desolate open roads and western crime atmosphere set it far apart from most other slasher/stalker films, and the unexpected nature of many of the kills lead to a few genuinely surprising moments. Finding the balance between horror and action, this movie succeeds as both even when the writing puts the characters in unlikely and ridiculous scenarios. This is Hauer's show.


Who would I recommend it to? People who like a good deal of thrills and can handle some violence. It's much more action-heavy than a standard horror film.

My grade: B-

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