The Hitcher

The first time I saw this movie it just about terrified me....and few films have ever done that to me as an adult. Rutger Hauer was haunting as the demented killer.

The film moves very fast in this story of a maniac stalking a young motorist (C. Thomas Howell). Two subsequent viewings have quieted the fear but it's still a very chilling film and should keep most people riveted to the screen. It's an hour- and-a-half that will fly by with action and suspense.

On the negative side, not once but twice we have to watch Howell vomit. Neither he nor female lead Jennifer Jason Leigh are likable "good guys." (Of course, when has Leigh ever been a "good person" on screen?) The police, as usual in films, are pictured as sadistic, short-tempered idiots. Finally, credibility gets stretched a bit, particularly in the last 30 minutes.

So....expect a lot of good and a fair share of bad in this film. But, overall, it will be a film that will get your attention, beginning with Mr. Hauer.