Review of The Hitcher (1986) by Zack H — 24 Feb 2009
Really effective thrill-ride. I came in with relatively low expectations, since nobody ever seems to talk about this movie these days. But this was exactly what it should have been, and I see absolutely no need for the remake.
Not that I've even seen the remake. Yes, this is pure '80s, and that's not an insult in my opinion. There are some very nice iconic shots in here, enough of which I could cut together a pleasing montage.
Not that I will, but I found it funny how similar certain contemporary actions scenes are to this movie. You have a helicopter crashing down to the road, just like in Dark Knight. You have the main character driving without a driver's side door, just like Bond in Quantum of Solace.
There were others that I can't remember now. Maybe these are odd connections to make, but they stuck out to me anyways. This is basically a less suspenseful, more action-packed version of Duel in some ways.
There are car chases galore and a nice little game of cat and mouse. For a while there, I even thought the hitcher was a figment of the main character's imagination. He's definitely not. But then again, we may never know who he really is.
He's almost like the Joker. He has no identification or history. And he just wants to watch the world burn. This is a fun watch. Check it out.
This review of The Hitcher (1986) was written by Zack H on 24 Feb 2009.
The Hitcher has generally received positive reviews.
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