Passenger – REVIEW

by

Hitchhiker horror…..

Our editor used to be known for picking up hitchhikers, a generous act that wasn’t without its dangers. You never knew who you were letting into your car – someone potentially with mental health issues, strong but poorly considered opinions, or even a violent temper. Still, they readily accepted a ride (as our editor famously quipped, ‘You’re fired!’). Now, ‘The Passenger’ is a modern urban legend – a sinister figure who appears on deserted roads and preys on drivers. The film immediately establishes his terrifying presence with a shocking jump scare.

The passenger….

The film relies heavily on sudden scares. It follows a young couple, played by Lou Llobell and Jacob Scipio, who decide to leave the city and travel the country in their campervan. While driving one night, they’re overtaken by a car that aggressively beeps at them. They eventually catch up to the car, only to find it has crashed, and the driver is dead. Lou’s character notices three unusual scratches on the car and briefly sees a pale man appearing and disappearing near their van. This encounter reveals they’ve been targeted by a sinister figure – the Passenger – who marks them as his next victims.

The couple doesn’t realize the significance of a mysterious warning until they meet Diana (Melissa Leo) at a roadside rest stop. Diana recognizes the figure who warned them – to avoid driving at night and never pick up hitchhikers. She cryptically tells them, ‘People don’t take trips, trips take people,’ a statement they’ll soon understand. The film blends the legend of St. Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, with ‘The Hobo Code,’ a historical guide to life on the road during the Depression era. Diana’s warning that ‘for everything Holy there’s something UnHoly’ feels like a compelling premise for a film about figures like Princess Catherine or Meghan Markle.

Pick up this film?

Andre Ovredal, known for his work in horror, directs this film and skillfully builds tension with some truly effective jump scares. A standout sequence takes place in a parking lot, and another clever moment involves a couple using a projector to watch a movie on a bedsheet hung between trees in the woods.

The movie starts strong with genuinely frightening moments, but unfortunately, the ending feels predictable and relies on familiar horror clichés. Even with a few plot conveniences, it’s still an enjoyable and scary ride overall.

Here’s the Passenger trailer…

Read More

2026-05-21 16:23