Movie Info
Movie Name: The Hidden
Studio: New Line Cinema
Genre(s): Action/Adventure/Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Release Date(s): October 20, 1987
MPAA Rating: R
Get into my belly!
A killer has come to Los Angeles, and it seems to take everyday people and turn them into coldhearted killers. LAPD Detective Thomas Beck (Michael Nouri) finds himself teamed with FBI agent Lloyd Gallagher (Kyle MacLachlan), and Masterson soon finds Gallagher has some strange theories about the killer and his abilities. The killer seems unstoppable, and Masterson worries the real danger could be Gallagher…but the truth will be revealed!
Directed by Jack Sholder, The Hidden is a science-fiction police horror thriller. The movie received relatively positive reviews and has gained a cult following.
The Hidden is one of those movies you might have seen and remembered aspects of it. Despite being set pretty heavily in the 1980s, the film and story still hold up…and The Hidden is a fun and rather underseen thriller.
Strippers with machine guns!
The Hidden seems to have almost the same tone as They Live which is much more widely scene. They both are police procedurals and both involve secret aliens willing to kill. The Hidden however seems to ratchet up the violence a notch and provides humor by having characters (who don’t look like serial killers) killing…even at a point with a dog on the attack. The relationship between MacLachlan’s alien hunter and Nouri’s Beck is kind of the heart of the movie (which also has a bit of an Alien Nation feel at times). This relationship is nicely interwoven with the killer alien’s quest to gain power.
Kyle MacLachlan is a great actor for the role of the alien hunter. His characters from Blue Velvet to Twin Peaks have always had a detached nature to them, but they still can be put in a “serious” movie without the movie becoming completely comedic. Michael Nouri plays the typical 1980s hardcore detective and he works well with the odd Gallagher officer. Chris Mulkey, William Boyett, Claudia Christian, Clarence Felder, and Ed O’Ross all are fun as the various “skins” of the body jumping alien (I especially like Boyett’s heart attack prone business man). The movie also features small roles by Danny Trejo, Clu Gulager, and horror genre star Lin Shaye.
Light ’em up!
The movie is very ’80s based. The characters, the music, the cars, and Los Angeles all are oozing with the styles of the period. From Boyett’s alien walking around with a boom box to Christian’s stripper look, the movie has a gritty feel that just comes from the decade it was made.
The Hidden is a fun movie, and a movie that has held up. The movie is a nice balance of laughs, surprising moments, action, and science-fiction while it continues to trucks along. It deserves a bigger viewing audience and some recognition as a fun, little oddity. The Hidden was followed by a sequel The Hidden II in 1993.
