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Genres : Suspense/Horror, Thriller and Remake
Tagline : Never pick up strangers.
Release Date : January 19th, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating : R for strong bloody violence, terror and language.
Runtime : 83 min
Country : USA
Language : English
Color : Color

Trivia : Director Cameo: [Dave Meyers] Photo on the driver’s license of the real John Ryder.
Goofs : Continuity: When Jim and Grace wreck down the ditch, a tree branch goes through the windshield that was broken earlier. But in this scene Jim smacks his head against the windshield and it’s completely crack-free after being broken earlier.
Description : Grace Andrews and Jim Halsey are a collegiate couple who are tormented by the mysterious hitchhiker John Ryder, a.k.a. The Hitcher. The young couple hit the road in a 1970 Oldsmobile 442, en route to spring break. But their pleasure trip soon turns into a waking nightmare. The initial encounters with Ryder are increasingly off-putting for Grace and Jim
, and they bravely fight back when he ambushes them. But they are truly blindsided when he implicates them in a horrific slaying and continues to shadow them. The open road becomes a suspenseful, action-packed battleground of blood and metal as, in trying to elude not only Ryder but also New Mexico State Police Lieutenant Esteridge’s officers, Grace and Jim must fight for their lives and face their fears head-on.
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Review : John Ryder returns in this remake of the 1986 horror film, and this time he has his eyes (and knives, and guns, and fleet of constantly-changing automobiles-turned-weapons) on not the young man driving but the young woman in the passenger’s seat. Those who have seen the original will know the drill: Ryder (originally played by Rutger Hauer and now by Sean Bean) is a deranged roadster who follows his target down the long, winding roads of desert highways, plowing through innocent people and framing his mark for the resulting murders in an unexplained chase.
The premise sounds simple enough, and indeed it is: “Don’t pick up strangers.” Unfortunately for this film, the lesson is one that needs no further explanation, certainly not in the form of gratuitously violent and frustratingly sub-par filmmaking.
Primarily a music video director known for his long list of musical clients, Dave Meyers has shown talent in previous work, but seems to have approached “The Hitcher” as a formulaic hit for the MTV crowd, foregoing any sophisticated terror techniques in favor of canned dialogue and predictable hunt-escape maneuvers. While there are a number of startling, jolt-inducing moments, by far the most shocking moments are each time one of the two main characters has a choice to make and without fail picks the only-in-a-movie worst possible option. There are a few redeeming moments, most of which involve the skilled pairing of music and action (especially notable in a car chase), but one could get all of the benefit of similar skill in Meyers’ music videos, thus avoiding the unnecessary carnage that litters this dead-end project.
Parents should know that this film is exceptionally gory, with many deaths including profusely bleeding stab wounds, a very graphic throat-splitting, and a scene in which a living person is shown tied between two trucks and torn apart. Granted, they are in a difficult situation from the beginning, but for purposes of keeping the thin plot going the two main characters, Grace and Jim (Sophia Bush and Zachary Knighton), make disastrously poor choices throughout the film, including being belligerent with police officers instead of complying with protocol and then sharing their story.
Families who see this film should talk about what might have gone differently had Jim and Grace cooperated with the police officers; although they were suspects, the two young students could have appreciated that the officers were following protocol, and instead of resisting could have talked calmly with the police to clarify the situation. Parents should also discuss road safety with teenagers and decide on procedures to follow in specific situations (what to do, for example, if they see someone standing on the road with a broken-down car).
Families who enjoy this film might also enjoy the original and the very similar film Joy Ride, in which three young people are pursued by a blood-thirsty trucker (played by Steve Zahn). They should also see how a brilliant director handles a similar story in the made-for-television Duel, the first feature directed by Steven Spielberg.

Distributors : Rogue Pictures (Focus)
Directed by : Dave Meyers
Produced by : Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller
Sound Mix : DTS / Dolby Digital
Official Website : www.thehitchermovie.net
Actors :
Sean Bean | John Ryder
Sophia Bush | Grace Andrews
Zachary Knighton | Jim Halsey
Kyle Davis | Buford’s Store Clerk
Neal McDonough | Lieutenant Esteridge
Skip O’Brien | Harlan Bremmer, Sr.
Travis Schuldt | Harlan Bremmer, Jr.
Danny Bolero | Officer Edwards
Jeffrey Hutchinson | Young Father
Yara Martinez | Beth
Lauren Cohn | Marlene
Michael J. Fisher | Transport Guard #2
Joseph Michael Self | Transport Guard #1
Brad Robinson | Correctional Officer
Kurt Grossi | Officer Franklin
Kurt Bryant | Paramedic
Richard Hancock | Ryder’s Guard
Jesse DeLuna | Officer Jessup
George McLain | Officer George
Kurt Soderling | Helicopter Co-Pilot
Lance Strumpf | Helicopter Pilot
Damon Carney | Negotiator

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