by Thomas Ferguson

Growing up, momma always said “Don’t talk to strangers!” After getting the driver’s license, it was “Don’t pick up strangers!” It was sound advice. It was advice that could save your life. Unfortunately, the young lovers in the new release The Hitcher should have listened to momma.

In this remake of the 1986 classic of the same name, Grace (Sophia Bush) and Jim (Zachary Knighton) are two lovers on their way to Lake Havasu, Arizona for spring break. The vacation ends abruptly when they almost hit a stranded man on the highway. Instead of staying and helping the man, they continue on to the next gas station to get help.

The man gets a lift from a trucker and ends up at that same gas station. Jim is coerced into giving the man a ride to a local motel, despite strong opposition from Grace. While in the car, they make small talk. The man introduces himself as John Ryder (Sean Bean) then without warning, attacks Jim. Both Grace and Jim manage to kick John out of the car, thinking it’s the last they’ll see of him. Boy, were they wrong.

Shortly thereafter, Grace and Jim find themselves playing a deadly game of cat and mouse when Ryder catches up to them wanting revenge.

Okay, here we go. This movie was a tremendous waste of time. I can’t get over studios’ fascination with horror movies of the past. Why must they insist on remaking movies, especially when the originals were nothing to write home about? I’ll tell you why, no imagination.

I’d love to see original ideas in the marketplace. I’m sick of remakes, sequels, prequels, adaptations, ‘based ons’, ‘inspired bys’, and theatrical spin-offs. Enough is enough already! I know it’s all about the built-in audience for them, but why don’t they hook us with originality? How does that sound?

I’ll get off my soapbox now. Back to The Hitcher. My biggest problem with this movie was its unbelievability. I scoffed and laughed my way through it. The two lead characters are put in one preposterous situation after the next. How in the hell can this man keep finding them and showing up out of thin air? I know it’s only a movie, but let’s get real.

Also, there are numerous people and local authorities around, but no one helps them. Actually, they become suspects in the murder of a family and become fugitives. So, they have cops and this psycho pursuing them at the same time. It was so ridiculous.

Ryder is a killing machine, but my question is… why? There was no explanation for his killing motivation. Were we to believe he killed just because he was crazy? I need a little more than that.

This movie was directed by my favorite video director Dave Meyers. This was his feature debut. Not a good way to start in my opinion. Keep this up, he’ll be back getting his freak on with Missy Elliot. The only saving grace for this movie was Sophia Bush. Her performance was vulnerable, yet strong. Not easy to do, but she pulled it off. Zachary Knighton was pretty good as well, but the rest of the cast were so over the top, they made me laugh. My advice…drive right past this movie.