The Hitcher (1986) - Good fun, if you don't mind the flaws

'The Hitcher' is certainly a tense and gripping ride through the across the desolate highways of middle America and if you're looking for a standout performance then Rutger Hauer steals the show.  He's the complete nut-job who you really don't want to offer a lift to if you see him at the side of the road.  While the counterpoint is out unlucky hero, played by C. Thomas Howell, who also holds his own as the young protagonist caught in an escalating nightmare.  

The film thrives on its cat-and-mouse dynamic, which will definitely give you moments of high tension and edge-of-your-seat thrills.  Of course, being made in the eighties, you get practical effects which add some much-needed realism to the action which grounds the atmosphere in a gritty, real-world feel that suits the film's tone.  

However, the pacing does falter in places, with certain stretches feeling overly drawn out.  Also, the story  does tend to hinge sometimes on coincidences that may strain credibility for some viewers.  But, despite these flaws, 'The Hitcher' is a worthwhile 'bare-bones' thriller which makes for a darkly entertaining journey.  Fans of psychological thrillers and intense simple chase stories should find it is worth watching allowing its atmosphere and performances make up for its occasional lapses in logic and pacing. 

7/10