The Hitcher (2007)

A serial killer pins his crimes on two college students who gave him a ride.

Director:

Dave Meyers

Writers:

Eric Red (screenplay), Jake Wade Wall (screenplay)

Stars:

Sean Bean, Sophia Bush, Zachary Knighton

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Bean	...	John Ryder
Sophia Bush	...	Grace Andrews
Zachary Knighton	...	Jim Halsey
Neal McDonough	...	Lt. Esteridge
Kyle Davis	...	Buford's Store Clerk
Skip O'Brien	...	Sheriff Harlan Bremmer Sr.
Travis Schuldt	...	Deputy Harlan Bremmer Jr.
Danny Bolero	...	Officer Edwards
Jeffrey Hutchinson	...	Young Father
Yara Martinez	...	Beth
Lauren Cohn	...	Marlene
Michael J. Fisher	...	Transport Guard #2 (as Mike Fisher)
Joe Self	...	Transport Guard #1 (as Joseph Michael Self)
Brad Robinson	...	Correctional Officer
Kurt Grossi	...	Officer Franklin

Storyline

While driving through the New Mexico Desert during a rainy night, the college students Jim Halsey and his girlfriend Grace Andrews give a ride to the hitchhiker John Ryder. While in their car, the stranger proves to be a psychopath threatening the young couple with a knife, but Jim succeeds to throw him out of the car on the road. On the next morning, the young couple sees John in another car with a family, and while trying to advise the driver that the man is dangerous, they have an accident. While walking on the road, they find the whole family stabbed in the car, and John sees that the driver is still alive. He drives to a restaurant seeking for help, but the police blame Jim and Grace to the murder and send them to the police station. However, John kills the policemen and pursues the couple, playing a tragic and violent mouse and cat game with Grace and Jim.

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Plot Keywords:

two word title | grindhouse film | college student | psychopath | on the road | 

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Taglines:

Never pick up strangers.

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong bloody violence, terror and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jessica Biel turned down the role of Grace Andrews while Britney Spears was considered for the same role.

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Goofs

When Grace is in the bathroom pulling paper towels out of the dispenser, she stops and looks out the window, and sees John Ryder's red truck. She goes to lock the door and there is paper towel hanging out of the dispenser. When it cuts back, there are now no paper towels hanging down.

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Quotes

Grace Andrews: Please! Stop!
John Ryder: I can't...

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Alternate Versions

Following advice from the BBFC the distributor elected to make minor cuts to the film in order to achieve their desired '15' classification. The cuts removed sight of blood pumping from a man close-to death (too sadistic for a '15') and sight of blood spurting from a slit throat (too graphic for a '15'). The uncut version is available on DVD and HD DVD with an 18 classification.

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Connections

Referenced in Post Mortem with Mick Garris: Frank Darabont (2010)

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Soundtracks

Move Along
Written by Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler
Performed by The All-American Rejects (as The All American Rejects)
Courtesy of Interscope Records
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

Not worth picking up...

Maybe, my expectations of this film were set too high. Frankly, I pondered why anyone would want to re-make what many genre fans (and movie buffs in general) already consider to be a cult-classic. Didn't anyone learn a thing about what usually happens to those who try to reinvent a classic (i.e. the poorly attempted re-make of 'Psycho', anyone?).

For those of you whom have seen the original 1986 'Hitcher', it is best to leave your experience to that. The characters in this 2007 version barely conjure up a heartbeat, much-less able to hold the viewers attention for more than a few mere minutes at a time!

That is not to say that the lack of dramatic affect is due solely to sub-par actors. It's complacency and sterileness is mostly due to a lack of vision and direction, rather than for a lack of competency on any of the actors behalf. Also, severely lacking is the film's score, which was a haunting staple in the original version, but which is barely of notice in this version.

Did the 'Hitcher' require a reattempting? The answer is clear: No. The producer's of this film also produced the 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' reduxs and while those films were successful both artistically as well in terms of box office dollars, their attempt here is quite unsuccessful at attempting to recreate the nerve-pounding suspense that only the original appears to be able to offer.

Do not slow down. Drive past this one and don't even bother taking a second glance.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 January 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hitcher

Filming Locations:

Austin Studios - 1901 E. 51st Street, Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,234,000, 21 January 2007

Gross USA:

$16,472,961

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$25,399,945

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, Intrepid Pictures, Platinum Dunes

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1