The Hitcher (1986)

★ 7.0 1h 38m 1,039 votes IMDb

Action Horror Thriller

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.

Where to Watch

Netflix

Amazon Prime Video

Disney Plus

HBO Max

Max

Hulu

Paramount Plus

Apple TV Plus

Peacock

Showtime

Starz

Paramount+ with Showtime

Rent / Buy

Rent

Apple TV

Google Play Movies

Amazon Video

YouTube

Vudu

Fandango at Home

Buy

Apple TV

Google Play Movies

Amazon Video

YouTube

Vudu

Fandango at Home

Cast

Rutger Hauer as John Ryder Died 2019 · Breukelen, Utrecht, Netherlands Rutger Oelsen Hauer (January 23, 1944 – July 19, 2019) was a Dutch film actor. He was well known for his roles in Flesh + Blood, Blind Fury, Blade Runner, The Hitcher, Nighthawks, Sin City, Ladyhawke,...

C. Thomas Howell as Jim Halsey Age 59 · Los Angeles, California, USA Christopher Thomas Howell (born December 7, 1966), usually credited as C. Thomas Howell, is an American actor and film director. He starred in the films The Outsiders as Ponyboy Curtis and in The Hitc...

Jeffrey DeMunn as Captain Esteridge Age 78 · Buffalo, New York, USA Jeffrey DeMunn (born April 25, 1947) is an American theatre, film and television actor. He is known as a favorite of director Frank Darabont, who has cast him in all four of his films, The Green Mile,...

Billy Green Bush as Trooper Donner Age 90 · Montgomery, Alabama, USA William Warren Bush (born 1935) is an American actor, sometimes credited as “Billy Greenbush”. Notable movie appearances include Five Easy Pieces (1970), The Culpepper Cattle Company (1972), Electra G...

John M. Jackson as Sergeant Starr Age 75 · Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. John Murice Jackson (born June 1, 1950 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is an American actor, best known for playing Rear Admiral A. J. Chegwidden on the CBS series J...

Henry Darrow as Trooper Hancock Died 2021 · New York City, New York, USA Henry Darrow (September 15, 1933 - March 14, 2021) was a Nuyorican character actor of stage and film. He is best known for his role as Manolito "Mano" Montoya on the 1960s television series The High C...

Director Robert Harmon

Cast Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Howell, Jeffrey DeMunn, Billy Green Bush, John M. Jackson, Henry Darrow, Jon Van Ness, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Thibeau, Armin Shimerman

JPV852 7/10 Dec 06, 2024

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**

Wuchak 4/10 Dec 19, 2025

**_Thrilling desert road flick ruined by an implausible villain_**

This is an action-packed thriller with the milieu of the remote Southwest à la Eastwood’s “The Gauntlet” mixed with psychological horror, even slasher. So, it’s reminiscent in ways of “Duel,” “The Getaway” and "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry," but the enigmatic antagonist’s 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 don’t need an explanation of the killer or his motives, but even an allegorical story requires the viewer to buy what’s going on to suspend disbelief. For instance, in “Jeepers Creepers” the creature is an ancient demonic entity. Yet John Ryder here isn’t a supernatural being in light of the climax. So, how was he able to fly through windshields and fall off moving vehicles at high speeds no worse for wear? You just roll your eyes and say, “Yeah, right.” As bad as this is, there are other absurdities.

Better films of this ilk include “Kalifornia” and “Breakdown.”

C. Thomas Howell returned for a sequel in 2003, which I’ve never seen. There’s also a remake released in 2007 with Sean Bean in the title role wherein the storyline has more depth, and you feel connected to the lead characters. Best of all, Bean is more believable, not to mention the inclusion of Sophia Bush augmenting Jennifer Jason Leigh’s role is a plus.

It runs 1h 37m and was shot in early 1985 in the Mojave Desert 3-4 hours’ drive northeast of Los Angeles (Victorville, Barstow, Amboy, Calico Dry Lake Bed and so on).

GRADE: C-