The Hitcher has a great premise, which it promptly abandons in favor of numerous road-rage action set pieces where John Ryder miraculously pops up whenever and wherever the plot needs him. Maybe I needed to see this back in 1986 to appreciate it, but in 2007 I've seen enough unmotivated car chases, gunfights, and phantom villains for one life time. Thanks.
I did like the beginning of the film when Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) first picks up the Hithcer aka John Ryder (aka Rutger Hauer). Trapped in a claustrophobic car with a madman wielding a knife again, an awesome premise with ample suspense. "I'll do anything," Halsey begs for his life. And so Ryder sets the terms, "Say four words: I want to die." A nice little psychological dilemma can he bring himself to say words expressing a desire to die in an effort to save his life? Well played. Kudos.
The cinematography looks great, and paints the titular character into more than just a psychopath it paints him as an icon (on top of a creepy performance from Hauer.) C. Thomas Howell does fine as the vulnerable kid who slowly hardens (not to mention loses part of his sanity) until the ultimate confrontation at the film's climax. The film nicely communicates a disturbing bond slowly forming between the victim and the stalker. And lastly, deserving applause, the film's willingness to create genuine sympathy for the sole character who gives Jim support, and then strike a tragic chord with a unique and creative kill (Hollywood, I hope you're taking note.) But I did not like how damn near every single remaining element of the film served the plot. Actually, "served" isn't even the word. Everything in the Hitcher is enslaved by the plot. John Ryder shows up wherever and whenever the plot *demands* him to show up if Ryder misses only one of his predestined appointments the entire film does not work. Jim makes stupid decisions that get him deeper into trouble because the plot *demands* his bumbling if just once he decides not to further incriminate himself by running or picking up a gun the entire film does not work. Every other character in the film exists to persecute and harass Jim because the plot *demands* such prejudice because if only one cop gives him a chance to explain (assuming the Hitcher doesn't pop up to kill him) the entire film does not work. Now, I don't have terribly high standards for thriller plots many of my favorites wear similarly flawed plots but good God this is so flimsy that I was afraid just looking it would make everything come crashing down.
After awhile it becomes painfully obvious that the sole motivation behind *everything in this entire world* is to bring on another doomed attempt at an explanation, another attempt to "wow" and "awe" the audience with a surprise that isn't so surprising, or an action sequence that's, well, another action sequence.
Let's be frank. This is a thriller. Thrillers, by nature, are absurd. Nobody goes to the theater or pops in the DVD wanting to be the reality-snob or the artsy critic championing high art. I watch thrillers to be, as the genre title implies, thrilled. Give me energy, give me wit, give me suspense, take me to the edge of my seat, and let's just have a fun ride. While the genre doesn't require the most sophisticated stories or the most sympathetic characters, there is still a baseline. And, yes, a film can fall below that baseline, which is very very dangerous in a genre that all but dares the audience to disbelieve.
The Hitcher sinks below that baseline, which is a real shame because the action looked pretty cool.
I did like the beginning of the film when Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) first picks up the Hithcer aka John Ryder (aka Rutger Hauer). Trapped in a claustrophobic car with a madman wielding a knife again, an awesome premise with ample suspense. "I'll do anything," Halsey begs for his life. And so Ryder sets the terms, "Say four words: I want to die." A nice little psychological dilemma can he bring himself to say words expressing a desire to die in an effort to save his life? Well played. Kudos.
The cinematography looks great, and paints the titular character into more than just a psychopath it paints him as an icon (on top of a creepy performance from Hauer.) C. Thomas Howell does fine as the vulnerable kid who slowly hardens (not to mention loses part of his sanity) until the ultimate confrontation at the film's climax. The film nicely communicates a disturbing bond slowly forming between the victim and the stalker. And lastly, deserving applause, the film's willingness to create genuine sympathy for the sole character who gives Jim support, and then strike a tragic chord with a unique and creative kill (Hollywood, I hope you're taking note.) But I did not like how damn near every single remaining element of the film served the plot. Actually, "served" isn't even the word. Everything in the Hitcher is enslaved by the plot. John Ryder shows up wherever and whenever the plot *demands* him to show up if Ryder misses only one of his predestined appointments the entire film does not work. Jim makes stupid decisions that get him deeper into trouble because the plot *demands* his bumbling if just once he decides not to further incriminate himself by running or picking up a gun the entire film does not work. Every other character in the film exists to persecute and harass Jim because the plot *demands* such prejudice because if only one cop gives him a chance to explain (assuming the Hitcher doesn't pop up to kill him) the entire film does not work. Now, I don't have terribly high standards for thriller plots many of my favorites wear similarly flawed plots but good God this is so flimsy that I was afraid just looking it would make everything come crashing down.
After awhile it becomes painfully obvious that the sole motivation behind *everything in this entire world* is to bring on another doomed attempt at an explanation, another attempt to "wow" and "awe" the audience with a surprise that isn't so surprising, or an action sequence that's, well, another action sequence.
Let's be frank. This is a thriller. Thrillers, by nature, are absurd. Nobody goes to the theater or pops in the DVD wanting to be the reality-snob or the artsy critic championing high art. I watch thrillers to be, as the genre title implies, thrilled. Give me energy, give me wit, give me suspense, take me to the edge of my seat, and let's just have a fun ride. While the genre doesn't require the most sophisticated stories or the most sympathetic characters, there is still a baseline. And, yes, a film can fall below that baseline, which is very very dangerous in a genre that all but dares the audience to disbelieve.
The Hitcher sinks below that baseline, which is a real shame because the action looked pretty cool.