Remaking a classic film is never an easy task, so I was a bit confused when one of the most underrated horror films of all time, The Hitcher, was tabbed to be remade
The original film starred Rutger Hauer and C. Thomas. Howell in a deadly game of cat and mouse, that was as enjoyable as it was shocking.
The new version stars Sophie Bush and Zachary Kinghton as a young couple named Grace and Jim on their way to enjoy Spring Break when a chance encounter with a stranded motorist John Ryder (Sean Bean), sends them into a living nightmare.
Jim kindly offers John a ride to a nearby town, and soon realizes his mistake, when John attacks them and makes it very clear that he is not playing with a full deck. Grateful to escape the maniac unharmed, Jim and Grace continue with their trip only to realize that they are being followed by the mysterious hitcher who is leaving a gruesome trail of death, and has framed Jim and Grace for the crimes.
Forced to contend with the law as well as the demented rider, Jim and Grace soon discover that there is no place they can hide from Ryder, and they must fight not only to prove their innocence, but to stay alive.
As it is, The Hitcher is a fairly by the numbers thriller. What hampers the film is that it pales when compared to the original film, and offers very little in the way of new material. Audiences have seen many of the tricks the film uses over the past two decades, and this version is left with little new to offer.
The DVD is loaded with bonus materials and is good for a viewing especially for those who have not seen the original film.
2.5 stars out of 5.
