The Hitcher (1986)
October 26, 2022 8:47 AM - Subscribe

While transporting a car from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) picks up a hitchhiker named John Ryder (Rutger Hauer), who claims to be a serial killer. After a daring escape, Jim hopes to never see Ryder again. But when he witnesses the hitchhiker murdering an entire family, Jim pursues Ryder with the help of truck-stop waitress Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh), pitting the rivals against each other in a deadly series of car chases and brutal murders.

Directed by Robert Harmon. Written by Eric Red (Near Dark).

62% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently streaming in the US on HBO Max and Hulu. JustWatch listing.
posted by DirtyOldTown (5 comments total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
This gets more and more bonkers as it goes, but it never stops being a white knuckle ride thanks to Rutger Hauer's iconic performance. There's a reason this was checked out at every video store in America at least twice a week well into the early 2000's.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:49 AM on October 26, 2022 [6 favorites]


A friend of mine refers to this as "Jaws, but in the desert and the middle of the day" - there's no other way to explain how Ryder just... appears and always at the worst possible time.
posted by Molesome at 10:28 AM on October 26, 2022 [1 favorite]


there should be something that rescales rotten tomatoes scores for older movies because there’s no way contemporary reviewers (who are remarkably forgiving) wouldn’t have this one at 90%+. highly recommend for the spooky season
posted by dis_integration at 8:06 PM on October 26, 2022


Jennifer Jason Leigh just couldn't catch a break in 80s movies. And 90s and 2000s movies too.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 8:39 AM on October 27, 2022


I was super into this movie at the time, and I don't know why, because it wasn't my usual fare. Perhaps Rutger Hauer's sheer charisma?
posted by velvet_n_purrs at 2:43 PM on October 30, 2022


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