The whole argument of the remake will never end. Constantly splitting people, sticking to their guns on which one rises above the other. The remake has always troubled ground to cross. Reshoot the original frame by frame ala Gus Van Sant's Psycho, and labelled uncreative. Film maker plays around to much and ruin what made the original so special to its devotees. The remake does have its place, a film maker re-envisioning/ modernising to a contemporary time; Jonathan Demme's The Manchurian Candidate, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, or to less extent, the at odds with itself The Stepford Wivies. The remake may even successfully bridge the cultural gap; The Departed. The 1986 version of The Hitcher, has risen as a go-to film for psychological highway miss-adventure; not the greatest film on celluloid but holds a certain panache with a memorable performance by Rutger Hauer.
The Hitcher doesn't stray far from the original source, creative licence kept minimal, as Jim Halsey and his girlfriend Grace Andrews are terrorised but miscreant hitcher John Ryder and his disturbing vices. Point by point analysis of whats changed, what remained is best left muted to take this on its own merits. Yet remake or not, The Hitcher aims for a suspenseful time, though the cross-hairs are not on the bulls eye. The opening scene easily wraps the entire film in a nut shell. A psychological edge resides in The Hitcher, an over leaning towards shock tactics and unabashed violence, stop what could have reached psychological terror rests more on highway shenanigans. Times arise when suspenseful moments are about to grab for the jugular, yet an over reliance on loud sound effects dip the intensity.
Sophia Bush and Zachary Knighton aren't the most commanding leads; more of two damsels in distress than a terrorised couple, though give it their all, more so on the big center piece. Sean Bean as the crazed Ryder holds a commanding presence, relying just to much on his gruffing voice for chills. An ill picked soundtrack works against the mood; Nine Inch Nails would seem like an appropriate pick but sounds misplaced, and the ending note on a Gomez song wraps things up wrong; director Dave Meyers work in music videos seeping through.
There are elements to admire in The Hitcher, and it's made with gusto, the level of terror The Hitcher is aiming for is just out of its reach.
The Hitcher doesn't stray far from the original source, creative licence kept minimal, as Jim Halsey and his girlfriend Grace Andrews are terrorised but miscreant hitcher John Ryder and his disturbing vices. Point by point analysis of whats changed, what remained is best left muted to take this on its own merits. Yet remake or not, The Hitcher aims for a suspenseful time, though the cross-hairs are not on the bulls eye. The opening scene easily wraps the entire film in a nut shell. A psychological edge resides in The Hitcher, an over leaning towards shock tactics and unabashed violence, stop what could have reached psychological terror rests more on highway shenanigans. Times arise when suspenseful moments are about to grab for the jugular, yet an over reliance on loud sound effects dip the intensity.
Sophia Bush and Zachary Knighton aren't the most commanding leads; more of two damsels in distress than a terrorised couple, though give it their all, more so on the big center piece. Sean Bean as the crazed Ryder holds a commanding presence, relying just to much on his gruffing voice for chills. An ill picked soundtrack works against the mood; Nine Inch Nails would seem like an appropriate pick but sounds misplaced, and the ending note on a Gomez song wraps things up wrong; director Dave Meyers work in music videos seeping through.
There are elements to admire in The Hitcher, and it's made with gusto, the level of terror The Hitcher is aiming for is just out of its reach.