On a stormy night, young Jim, who transports a luxury car from Chicago to California to deliver it to its owner, feeling tired and sleepy, picks up a mysterious hitchhiker, who has appeared out of nowhere, thinking that a good conversation will help him not to fall asleep. He will have enough time to deeply regret such an unmeditated decision.
Solid enough suspense-thriller with great action and menacing performance from Rutger Hauer, a few moments in the story felt a bit clunky, mainly how Jennifer Jason Leigh's character gets involved, which I will say the 2007 remake at least improved upon. Just a highly entertaining flick. 3.5/5
Thrilling desert road flick ruined by an implausible villain
This is an action-packed thriller with the milieu of the remote Southwest à la Eastwoods The Gauntlet mixed with psychological horror, even slasher. So, its reminiscent in ways of Duel, The Getaway and "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry," but the enigmatic antagonists twistedness and powers add a goofy slasher vibe.
The writer defended this on the grounds of making John Ryder (Rutger Hauer) a "mythical character, arguing that he intended the movie to be an allegory about the protagonist's journey and the transmission of "strength" in a twisted way, not a realistic story that required a conventional explanation.
I dont need an explanation of the killer or his motives, but ev...