The Hitcher (2007 film)

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The Hitcher (2007 film) — short, easy-to-understand version

The Hitcher is a 2007 American road horror thriller directed by Dave Meyers. It’s a remake of the 1986 film The Hitcher. The movie stars Sean Bean as the killer John Ryder (the Hitchhiker), with Sophia Bush as Grace Andrews and Zachary Knighton as Jim Halsey. The budget was about $10 million, and it grossed around $25.4 million worldwide.

Plot in brief
College students Jim and Grace are driving through New Mexico when they nearly hit a hitchhiker. They pick him up, but he turns out to be John Ryder, a violent killer who terrorizes them. Ryder forces Jim to say “I want to die” to save Grace, and the chase continues across desert roads. Ryder kills several people, including police, and the couple is blamed for various murders. After a deadly confrontation at a motel and a high-stakes escape, Grace eventually defeats Ryder by shooting him in the head.

Cast (top stars)
- Sophia Bush as Grace Andrews
- Zachary Knighton as Jim Halsey
- Sean Bean as John Ryder / The Hitchhiker
- Neal McDonough as Lieutenant Esteridge

Production notes
- Based on The Hitcher (1986); directed by Dave Meyers
- Produced by Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes (with Intrepid Pictures)
- Screenplay by Eric Bernt, Eric Red, and Jake Wade Wall
- Filmed in New Mexico

Release and home media
- Special screening: January 18, 2007; wide release: January 19, 2007
- Home media: released on DVD and HD-DVD May 1, 2007; Blu-ray released in Australia in 2008

Reception
- Box office: about $25.4 million worldwide on a $10 million budget
- Critical response: mixed to negative
- Rotten Tomatoes: around 19% approval
- Metacritic: about 28/100
- Noted critics described it as relying on shocks and gore rather than updating the story effectively
- Some praise for Sean Bean’s performance, but many reviews compared it unfavorably to the original film

Accolades
- Sophia Bush won two Teen Choice Awards (Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller and Choice Movie: Breakout Female)
- Nominations and recognitions in stunt and festival circles

The Hitcher (2007) is mainly known as a modern, fast-paced remake of a classic thriller, aiming to bring a new generation to the tense cat-and-mouse chase between a young couple and a relentless hitchhiking killer.