The leap of logic necessary to get involved in the excitement is accepting that Howell is a world-class idiot who keeps putting himself in jeopardy, at times intentionally.

This set-up is intriguing, and you wish director Robert Harmon had made more of it.

That kind of nonstop self-seriousness should wear thin after a while but director Robert Harmon makes the screenplay's unabashed cruelty more potent than churlish.

‘…a classic 80’s action-driven B movie that’s utterly remorseless in chasing down thrills….while the initial reaction in cinemas was muted, The Hitcher went on to be a cult film and no wonder; it’s the gnarliest thing out there…’