The Hidden
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Movie Reviews of The Hidden
Movie Review: The Hidden: A Sci-Fi classic.
Summary: 4 Stars
I saw this movie years ago, and had to have the DVD. The alien bad guy is hilarious.Movie Review: "A Career In The Police Force Didn't Really Prepare You For This, Did It?"
Summary: 3 Stars
Across Los Angeles, a small number of people who have been leading previously peaceful, placid lives suddenly begin engaging in orgiastic sprees of armed robbery, murder and grand theft auto. What is driving these previously upstanding citizens to these depths? LA Cop and wildcard Michael Beck (Michael Nouri) is hot on the trail of the first of the perpetrators in question when he finds himself unwittingly partnered with decidedly strait-laced FBI agent, Lloyd Gallagher (Kyle Maclachlan). Their pursuit of the truth behind the explosion of violence rocking the city of Angels will lead them through a wilderness of carnage, destruction and betrayal.
Jack Sholder's 'The Hidden' is an enjoyable, well-made piece of late eighties LA/Sci-Fi exploitation which cheerfully mines all manner of conceptual gold from films like The Terminator and The Thing (Collector's Edition) and novels like Robert A. Heinlein's THE PUPPET MASTERS and yet manages to regurgitate them in a form which still manages to feel fresh and entertaining.
A lot of the film's appeal can be attributed to Bob Hunt's script (which refuses to insult the intelligence of it's hard-bitten cop characters) and Sholder's direction which is heavily accented towards the humourous and the hyper-kinetic (well, for the eighties anyway. The ADD style of filming and edited favoured by most action directors these days may well make it seem a tad stodgy to younger viewers - but bear in mind that this is a period piece).
Michael Nouri is an actor I can't recall seeing in any other film than this one. He makes a perfectly servicable if rather humdrum cop on the edge; a youthful Kyle Maclachlan's turn as an alarmingly fresh-faced FBI agent is a hint at the greater things to come, as is Claudia 'Bablyon 5' Christian's deeply amusing turn as a stripper-turned-shotgun-wielding-psychopath who comes off like 'Ah-nuld' in thigh high boots. There are also 'blink and you'll miss them' cameos from the likes of Rodriguez/Tarantino favourite Danny Trejo and Jack McGee ('Chief Jerry Reilly' from the excellent fire-fighter drama, Rescue Me - The Complete First Season) and a decent turn from exploitation favourite, Clu Gulager (of The Return of the Living Dead fame).
By no means a perfect film, it is still a highly entertaining one if you're both familiar and comfortable with the conventions of the late eighties LA/Sci-Fi sub-genre.
If you enjoy this, I also recommend that you check out the Tom Selleck vehicle, "Runaway"; the exploitation favourite, "Trancers"; the similar, although decidedly more cheesy, "Dark Angel"; the deeply amusing valley-girls-vs-zombies comedy, "Night of the Comet" and Steve De Jarnatt's genuinely brilliant Nuclear paranoia shocker, "Miracle Mile".
Movie Review: The Hidden (1987)
Summary: 3 Stars
Director: Jack SholderCast: Michael Nouri, Kyle MacLachlan, Ed O'Ross, Clu Gulager, Claudia Christian.
Running Time: 97 minutes.
Rated R for violence, sexual situations, gore, and language.
A nice surprise of an action-science fiction feast, pitting police detective Michael Nouri and federal agent Kyle MacLachlan to join forces against an unknown evil. When a bizarre series of crimes wreck havoc on the streets of Los Angeles, California, the two discover that they may be up against a slithery alien intruder that wants to take over the world. MacLachlan's behavior gets stranger and stranger as the film goes on, prompting Nouri to suspect that he may have something to do with it.
Director Sholder creates a "Lethal Weapon" on extra-terrestrial steriods, creating an original and amusing cop-buddy flick that is satisfyingly different. While the script is fairly bogus and the performances are only mediocre, the action sequences and special effects are very well-done. Not a film that should cause anyone to drop all of their things and watch at once, but an exciting motion picture that will gratify those who enjoy many genres.
Movie Review: Memorable Sci-fi thriller, with good performances
Summary: 3 Stars
"The Hidden" is an underrated science fiction/thriller that is actually better than the usual fare. Director Jack Sholder gives the film a kinetic pace, while his camerawork style is equally energetic and eye-catching. Although the film has some dated aspects to it, the performances help compensate for that flaw. As Kyle Maclachlan gives a subdued and endearing performance as the FBI agent with a secret, while Michael Nouri's portrayal of the worn out cop is also enjoyable. Helped by good characterisation and a directorial flair by Jack Sholder, this is a pleasing thriller.Movie Review: Recipe for THE HIDDEN:
Summary: 2 Stars
1) Take equal parts TERMINATOR, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, and THE THING2) Liberally stir in graphic John Woo-style gunplay
3) When nearly finished sprinkle in a touch of MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE
4) Serve up with ham, may be a bit hard to swallow.
THE HIDDEN is a fun movie, if nothing else, but nowhere near as good as any of the films it reminds one of. An alien slug is sliming its way between human bodies, taking time to kill some folks and wreck some cars between each identity switch. MacLachlan does a fine job as an otherworldly policeman, but the rest of the cast is downright bad. The direction has a definite mid-80s made-for-TV movie feel and though the violence is intense, it's not necessarily effective. Special effects are few and far between and the one scene showing the slug switching bodies is well done, but one cannot help but notice that they stole the alien sound effects directly from THE THING. Other effects, MacLachlan's weapon, for example, are downright cheesy.
The greatest downfall of this film is that the device it uses to build tension fails. The alien is vulnerable when switching bodies - and it switches often (too often) - but MacLachlan is always a few seconds too late to catch it switching. One wonders why he simply doesn't run more often. After a few missed switches the viewer simply becomes frustrated. The climax of the film is well done (though the flame thrower is shamelessly foreshadowed earlier in the film), but once again the not-so-special effects effectively turn about to anticlimax.
All in all, a fun, if meaningless, film perfectly fit for late night viewing, but one which is unlikely to merit purchase or repeated viewing. Much more likely to whet your appetite for a repeat viewing of the films it echoes.