Review of The Hitcher (1986) by Drew S — 14 May 2011

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.