Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
20 years is a long time in the lifeline of movie plot-arc necessities. It's also a pretty big generational stretch in the lives of audience demographics, which may be part of the reason the producers of this remake of the 1986 cult horror classic felt the need to update the original spare mano-a-mano backbone into a girl-and-mano-a-mano. The Twilight Zone-ish setup is still a pretty neat idea: regular guy on a lonely highway picks up a hitchhiker who turns out to be a psychopathic killer with some very unsettling supernatural might. Fans of the original could hardly hope for a demon villain with such creepy charisma as Rutger Hauer. But Sean Bean makes a respectable replacement, with his understated stare and stewing rage that brings a new brand of hair-raising devilry to the role of hitcher John Ryder. The lone "good guy" originated by a boyish C. Thomas Howell has been upgraded to a lovesick couple.
In a twisty touch, Jim (Zachary Knighton) and Grace (Sophia Bush, of One Tree Hill fame) trade gender roles, with Jim turning wimpy and feminine and Grace becoming a shotgun-toting testoster-ette. The body count's a little higher and the gore factor increased by the power of 20 (years), but some of the original film's set pieces remain much the same-- body-snapping case in point being an 18-wheeler being put to use as a old-fashioned torture rack. While the original might have placed a bit more emphasis on the philosophical and existential elements of evil passing from soul to soul, it wasn't exactly an intellectual thrill ride. Likewise, 2007's The Hitcher is no art film, and it can't be faulted for choosing fright and might for audiences that are always looking for bigger and more elaborate splats for their horror entertainment buck. And if you stick out your thumb for this one, expect plenty of splat. --Ted Fry
Synopsis
Music video director Dave Meyers's debut film is an updated version of the 1986 shocker of the same name, featuring Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings Triology) in the title role of a chillingly sadistic hitchhiker. Twenty-something couple Grace (Sophia Bush from One Tree Hill) and Jim (Zachary Knighton) embark on a road trip across the American Southwest to meet up with Grace's friends on vacation. Things get off to a bad start when they almost run over a hitchhiker in the middle of a rainstorm, and then leave him to fend for himself. When they later run into the man (Bean), who calls himself John Ryder, at a gas station, their consciences get the best of them, and they agree to give him a ride to the next town. The couple's passenger quickly turns on his hosts, and although they manage to escape, he follows them and makes their lives a living hell. Soon, Grace and Jim find themselves framed for John Ryder's vicious crimes, and they are on the run from both the authorities and the Hitcher, of whose existence no one but they are aware. As their flight gets increasingly desperate and the Hitcher's methods of torture more brutal, Grace and Jim struggle desperately to discern what the man wants, and why he has chosen them. The film benefits from its beautiful, desolate desert setting, as it highlights the solitude and desperation of the couple's situation. Despite a few problems of plausibility and the frequent foolishness of the protagonists--to which horror fans are well-accustomed--The Hitcher delivers fright in all the right places, as well as beautiful women and plenty of gore.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Marianna
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Sean Bean does not look as menacing as the original hitcher, but the rest of the film is good. I am not happy with the very beginning when the rabbit gets knocked down on the road. It is an unnecessary part of the film and is not in the original, so why they have to add that bit is beyond me.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Riaan
Format:DVD
Critics have panned this film, but the public seem to love it. I'm siding with the critics on this one.
This is a fairly predictable slasher movie in which two teenagers pick up a hitchhiker who of course wants to kill them. The movie is well made and the direction is fairly good, but something is missing, factor x, call it what you will. I wanted to be scared out of my wits, but to be honest I was bored.
Decide for yourself. I didn't like it, you might. Oh, and the ending is'nt really that surprising as some of the reviewers on amazon have said.
This is a fairly predictable slasher movie in which two teenagers pick up a hitchhiker who of course wants to kill them. The movie is well made and the direction is fairly good, but something is missing, factor x, call it what you will. I wanted to be scared out of my wits, but to be honest I was bored.
Decide for yourself. I didn't like it, you might. Oh, and the ending is'nt really that surprising as some of the reviewers on amazon have said.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By K. Rourke
Format:DVD
I have no idea how this film managed to score an average of 4/5 stars here. I found it slow, dull, predictable, and with a completely unsatisfactory ending which didn't explain anything. As the film dragged on I felt that I had to watch it to the end hoping that there would be some kind of redeeming twist, which never came. Total disappointment of a movie, and a waste of my time :(
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. D. Bell
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
The Hitcher is a re-make of the original film which was released in 1986.
The story follows a couple (Jim and Grace) who offer a lift to a hitchhiker (played by Sean Bean). They soon realise he is a psycho when he holds a knife to Graces head. They manage to kick him out of the car and think that's the last the have seen of him. Unfortunately for them, things go from bad to worse, as they soon realise the killer will not disappear quietly from their lives.
Not having seen the original I can't compare the two. However, watching this version as a film in its own right, it is an effective horror/thriller with strong performances from all involved. The couple portray the frightened victims, who are desperate to survive, very well. Sean Bean doesn't have to flex his acting muscles too much, but he plays the role of psycho killer extremely convincingly.
The action is at times very violent but, apart from one genuinely shocking scene, it doesn't end up being as sick as other films from this genre, (for example Wolf Creek or Hostel). There are a few bits that will make you jump but it doesn't have the sustained terror of some recent horrors (again Wolf Creek). The pace is kept high throughout which means the film never starts to drag. The two lead characters are likeable enough which helps you have some sympathy in their plight to evade the killer.
Overall fans of the horror/thriller genre will find something to like here. With strong performances and a fast pace it is definitely a well above average chiller.
The story follows a couple (Jim and Grace) who offer a lift to a hitchhiker (played by Sean Bean). They soon realise he is a psycho when he holds a knife to Graces head. They manage to kick him out of the car and think that's the last the have seen of him. Unfortunately for them, things go from bad to worse, as they soon realise the killer will not disappear quietly from their lives.
Not having seen the original I can't compare the two. However, watching this version as a film in its own right, it is an effective horror/thriller with strong performances from all involved. The couple portray the frightened victims, who are desperate to survive, very well. Sean Bean doesn't have to flex his acting muscles too much, but he plays the role of psycho killer extremely convincingly.
The action is at times very violent but, apart from one genuinely shocking scene, it doesn't end up being as sick as other films from this genre, (for example Wolf Creek or Hostel). There are a few bits that will make you jump but it doesn't have the sustained terror of some recent horrors (again Wolf Creek). The pace is kept high throughout which means the film never starts to drag. The two lead characters are likeable enough which helps you have some sympathy in their plight to evade the killer.
Overall fans of the horror/thriller genre will find something to like here. With strong performances and a fast pace it is definitely a well above average chiller.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Spike Owen
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Few remakes of old and beloved horror films succeed in winning over the old guard. They sometimes gain some fans from the younger sphere where those not familiar with the old version dwell, but with one or two odd exceptions, they rarely make a hit with the horror faithful even if they make money at the box office. The Hitcher, a remake of the 1986 Rutger Hauer starring film, is another in a sad line of poor horror remakes. Which is a shame because the casting of Sean Bean in the psychopathic hitcher role looked a decent one and we were promised a new take on the story. Sadly the makers have stripped away exactly what made the original film work so well.
Gone is the loneliness of a single driver and the rising of terror and confusion that he faced, in place is a sexy courting couple (Sophia Bush and Zachary Knighton) taking on the un-charismatic-by-the-numbers hitcher of the title. It rarely feels like the suspense laden movie it should have been, it's more a picture dominated by yawn inducing passages of knowing what will happen next. Logic and momentum are in short supply, as is the ambiguity so strong in the original, while the final confrontation between good and evil is far too short. Without doubt some of the action and deaths are well executed by director Dave Meyers and his team, there's enough visually to keep this from total damnation in stinkerville. While Bush's heroine shows some resourceful spunk when the unoriginal screenplay allows her to. But really all this film achieves is in making us rue remakes even more. 5/10
Gone is the loneliness of a single driver and the rising of terror and confusion that he faced, in place is a sexy courting couple (Sophia Bush and Zachary Knighton) taking on the un-charismatic-by-the-numbers hitcher of the title. It rarely feels like the suspense laden movie it should have been, it's more a picture dominated by yawn inducing passages of knowing what will happen next. Logic and momentum are in short supply, as is the ambiguity so strong in the original, while the final confrontation between good and evil is far too short. Without doubt some of the action and deaths are well executed by director Dave Meyers and his team, there's enough visually to keep this from total damnation in stinkerville. While Bush's heroine shows some resourceful spunk when the unoriginal screenplay allows her to. But really all this film achieves is in making us rue remakes even more. 5/10
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Philoctetes
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Watching this unnecessary remake of The Hitcher had me wondering about the attitudes of actors towards each other's work. didn't Sean Bean have any qualms about trying to displace (as if!) Rutger Hauer's famous turn as the omnipotent psychopath on a lonely stretch of road? One can only assume it was a job done for the money. Add it to the neverending list of Brits As Baddies In Hollywood Movies, and a waste of the Yorkshireman's talents (watch him in repeats of Sharpe).
The whole effort is kinda dumb, with the vacant pop songs dotted throughout and the boy/girl rushing into one bad decision after another, cops that don't listen and a killer who seems to be both omniscient and infallible. Some jeered when Hollywood presumed to remake Hitchock (Psycho, 1960/1998) but The Hitcher with Hauer was only as recent as the mid-eighties.
You shouldn't even be reading this page. The only thing, generally, more pointless than sequels, are remakes. Steer clear!
The whole effort is kinda dumb, with the vacant pop songs dotted throughout and the boy/girl rushing into one bad decision after another, cops that don't listen and a killer who seems to be both omniscient and infallible. Some jeered when Hollywood presumed to remake Hitchock (Psycho, 1960/1998) but The Hitcher with Hauer was only as recent as the mid-eighties.
You shouldn't even be reading this page. The only thing, generally, more pointless than sequels, are remakes. Steer clear!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 111 reviews
3.3 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
good film
good film , love sean bean and loved this film . . . . . . . . . .
Published 2 months ago by angelabeggs
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good, prefer the original
I bought this film, and didn't look too well at the cast. Although Sean Bean is a very good actor, I prefer the original movie with Rutger Hauer. Much more suspense, more action.
Published 2 months ago by PV from Flanders
5.0 out of 5 stars
wow
if u woulkd like to watch a scary moive i would advice you to watch this i can't stop watching this
Published 3 months ago by Alan Gibson
5.0 out of 5 stars
cool movie
Great movie, Sean Bean plays the part with menace and is well supported by other cast members. The Hitcher is a persons worse nightmare and the movie plays out as a couple... Read more
Published 11 months ago by uncle joe
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good but not as good as the original
All remakes have to be compared to the original with most failing to equal the first offering. This is especially true of suspense or thriller films as the ending is already known... Read more
Published on 5 Jun 2011 by Duncan Light
2.0 out of 5 stars
The Hitcher, just didn't hitch me
Without being pedantic about always seeing the original, in this case, I must say... see the original. Read more
Published on 10 May 2011 by MJ. (scary drood)
3.0 out of 5 stars
A remake that's not half as bad as expected, but not as startling as...
I'm not against remakes at all. I love the remakes of Assault on Precinct 13, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Amityville Horror. Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2010 by Benminx
2.0 out of 5 stars
Utter cheese. too hollywood for me!!
I realy don't get how this film got such good reviews. It was just totally unbelieveable from the start. Read more
Published on 4 Aug 2010 by Kelly
5.0 out of 5 stars
horror
forget about what the critics say..this is a great movie..not as good as the original..but not far behind..sean bean does a real good job playing the bad guy in this.. Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2010 by rama o rama
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sophia Bush !!! Hot And Great Actress !
The Hitcher Is the Reamake of the 1986 Orginal.
Sean Bean Replaces Rutger Hauer as John Ryder "The Hitcher" and He Actually de a great job at it. Read more
Sean Bean Replaces Rutger Hauer as John Ryder "The Hitcher" and He Actually de a great job at it. Read more
Published on 13 April 2010 by K. Clarke
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
