The Hitcher (1986)

Director: Robert Harmon

Starring: Rutger Hauer, C Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh

More info: IMDB

Tagline: The terror starts the moment he stops.

Plot: A young man who escaped the clutches of a murderous hitch-hiker is subsequently stalked, framed for the hitcher's crimes, and has his life made into hell by the same man he escaped.

My rating: 8/10

Will I watch it again? Guaranteed.


It's been at least fifteen years since I last saw this, one of my favorite movies of my teenage years. I don't remember it being as slow as it is, but it's still one hell of a movie, though. For as many of the A-list films He was in back in the 80s I'm STUNNED that he never achieved that A-list actor status. He's fantastic and it's too bad he never stayed on top. Regardless, I can't imagine anyone filling this role as effectively as he does. His charisma is menacing. He's able to walk that fine line of being a charming gentleman or an unhinged killer. The first time you see the film you really have no idea what he's going to do next and that feelings stays with you until the end credits roll.


Howell does his job by looking scarred or in shock throughout much of the film. Leigh is fun as his recent acquaintance, Nash. She's torn between him and Hauer. Ahahahahahaha. Back to Hauer, this is his vehicle all the way. He makes the picture, no doubt about that, and it's a great one. I've heard the recent remake is shit and even though I like the idea of having Sean Bean in the Hauer role, he still seems like a lightweight compared to the original.