Blu-ray Review – The Hidden – Warner Archive

The Hidden

Director: Jack Scholder  

Screenplay: Bob Hunt

Minutes: 96

Year: 1987

Score: 6.20

Release: Warner Archive

If I were to pair the new Twin Peaks with any movie it would probably be Jack Scholder’s The Hidden. This is a disconnected Dougie prequel.

From WBShop.com:

Something hideous is changing law-abiding citizens into monstrous, hyperviolent psychopaths. Now, only Kyle MacLachlan (Dune, Twin Peaks) and Michael Nouri (Flashdance) can halt the terrifying rampage of The Hidden!

A series of bizarre, inexplicable robberies and murders have L.A. police detective Tom Beck (Nouri) totally baffled. And it doesn’t help when mysterious FBI agent Lloyd Gallagher (MacLachlan) tells him that a demonic extraterrestrial creature is invading the bodies of innocent victims – and transforming them into inhuman killers with an unearthly fondness for heavy-metal music, red Ferraris and unspeakable violence! It’s a spine-chilling, high-velocity sci-fi thriller from the makers of A Nightmare on Elm Street.

Before I realized that Kyle MacLachlan was in this film I was planning on watching it begrudgingly. After I realized the Kyle MacLachlan was in the picture I was excited. The film did not live up to my expectations.

This isn’t to say the movie was bad, or uninteresting, there are several great action scenes and some gross special effects. My issue is that it is forgettable. This is a problem with meddling, but not the normal sort. Writer Bob Hunt wrote an action movie and Jack Sholder, a horror movie director, got involved and made changes to amplify the sci-fi/horror aspects of the story.  This is situation where there are two stories which would be fine until they were married.

Also, the ending is so, terrifically, cliché that I lost a lot of interest in the whole thing. While I am open to revisiting the movie I don’t see myself doing so any time soon.

The opening action scene was great and gripping, but I think it tried too hard too early and couldn’t hold on.

Special Features:

• Commentary with Director Jack Sholder and Tim Hunter
• Special Effects Production Footage Narrated by Jack Sholder
• Theatrical Trailer

Director: 6 – Cinematography: 5 –  Edit: 7 – Parity: 1 – Main performance: 8 – Else performance: 4 – Score: 7 – Sound: 6 – Story: 8 – Script: 7 – Effects: 9 – Design: 6 – Costumes: 5 – Keeps interest: 9 – Lasting: 5