As anyone who’s been on one knows, lengthy road trips can be a trying experience. The new horror film from director André Ovredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark) runs only 94 minutes, but it captures the feeling all too well. Like a bright headlight facing you dead on or the sudden honk of a loud horn, only the jump scares keep you from falling asleep during the seemingly interminable Passenger.
This is the sort of generic “things that go bump in the night” chiller that seems more suited for late-night cable than theatrical release, especially in an era when superior efforts have lifted the horror genre to a higher level. The story couldn’t be simpler: A young couple hit the highway in their souped-up van to experience the freedom of life on the road, only to discover that a malevolent force bent on their destruction is tracking them every step of the way. As if highway patrolmen weren’t scary enough.
Passenger
The Bottom Line
Not worth the ride.
