Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Stephan Hammond It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Aneesa Wardle The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

Tobias Burrows It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

MartinHafer I am NOT a major fan of action films, so the fact that I liked "The Hidden" is unusual. The movie is jam-packed full of explosions, gun fire, deaths and mayhem. But it also works as an inventive sci-fi movie...one that pretty much went under the radar back in 1987 when it debuted.The film has an incredibly simple plot...when the film begins, a maniac is running amok in LA...killing and stealing as if there's no tomorrow. Soon, however, you realize this killer is NOT a typical killer...he's practically indestructible. And, when he's about to die, a disgusting alien pops out of his mouth and inhabits the next person...and begins the murder spree all over again!! However, an oddball who claims to be an FBI agent (Kyle McLaughlen) arrives to assist the lead detective on the case (Michael Nouri) and they are the Earth's best bet to stop this menace.Despite relying heavily on action and wholesale slaughter, the film is intelligently written and original. It's also an interesting time capsule of the late 1980s...in all its awfulness and excess. Well worth your time.

Predrag "The Hidden" is an irrepressible, high-spirited genre flick full of screeching car chases, sprays of bullets and shattering glass that leaves more than a few casualties in its wake. It has a lot of fun with the body-switching premise and maintains a strong sense of humor throughout. Kyle MacLachlan's performance as the unearthly FBI agent offers another great reason to watch. Body switching sci-fi/horror fun from director Jack (Nightmare On Elm Street 2) Sholder, this can't quite keep up the breakneck pace or promise of the first half throughout but it manages to throw out an entertaining story that's loaded with a pleasing amount of action, some alright effects, and solid acting from its two leads Michael Nouri and Kyle MacLachlan. Scripter Jim Kouf (using the name Bob Hunt on the credits) even throws in a few jabs at 80's excess - like having a car salesman giving a potential customer cocaine when they're signing the papers and the Alien villain steals a huge stereo and plays some punk music.Jack Sholder's direction is extremely good, not just in the excellent action scenes but in small character touches that add a lot and elevate it above the straight-to-video fodder of the day - it's a real movie movie, so much so that it's surprising he never broke into the mainstream. There's nothing much to say about it because it's just so much fun. If you like horror, action, or sci-fi, then you really should see this film. It has all of those elements, wrapped up in a simple plot with simple special effects and simplistic performances from its actors.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Leofwine_draca This is a low budget gem that expertly mixes together the action, horror, and science fiction genres into one fast-paced, satisfying whole. It's similar to TERMINATOR 2 in that the film basically consists of a string of action sequences (with a lower budget, obviously, but no less exciting) with a little plot interspersed in between to hold things together. It's films like this that have me scouring video shelves for those '80s flicks - even though nine out of ten of them turn out to be pretty rubbish. THE HIDDEN is an obscure rarity that deserves much more appreciation than it currently holds (ie. nobody much has heard of it). I would go so far as to say it's a minor classic.The opening credits play over some security footage of a bank heist which culminates in a violent shootout between the security guards and the robber. Things move on to a fantastic car chase through the city, where our antagonist runs over as many people as possible before crashing into a police barricade at high speed and collapsing, almost dead. Looks like a typical action film, you might think...but you'd be wrong.Suddenly, the grossest scene of the film is upon us without any warning. The barely-living robber rises from his hospital bed and leans over a fellow patient. His mouth opens and...you guessed it...an alien slug comes out of his mouth and pops into the other man's. The special effects are actually very good here, with the models being used for the actors being so lifelike you can hardly tell that they're fake. The alien slug is appropriately gooey and disgusting, and as the box tells us, "...not for the squeamish".From then on we watch the killer alien go on a violent anti-social rampage, swapping bodies at will like the demon in FALLEN or the electric murderer in SHOCKER. For what it's worth I love these type of films. Hot on the alien's trail are a pair of mis-matched cops. Oh no, another buddy-buddy movie you might think and you'd be right. Predictably, the film begins with our partners hating each other and then growing to respect each other. One is played by none other than Kyle Maclachlan, who does a good job of making himself as weird yet ineffectual as possible. Michael Nouri, on the other hand, is the tough, likable cop and hands his leading role well. Solid supporting actors like Clu Gulager and Ed O'Ross help to give life to the rest of the cast.Fans of guns will no doubt be ecstatic over the dozens of bullets flying across the screen as this film progresses, as our heroes desperately try to stop the alien each time it enters a new body. There's a lot of blood spraying everywhere during these shootouts with the killer usually getting shot about a hundred times or so. I've discovered that watching Claudia Christian getting pumped full of lead as blood splashes from her body can be a very rewarding experience (I can't stand the actress, you see).There's a real sense of momentum which keeps this film on its toes and keeps the adrenaline pumping, and Jack Sholder's direction always keeps things in the midst of the action to stay interesting. There's a homage to THE TERMINATOR when the alien goes on a rampage in a police station, ending in a great gag involving a rocket launcher. Speaking of gags, there's plenty of comedy in here too to stop things from becoming too heavy. Events culminate in a fantastic, fiery showdown which, personally speaking, I found to be totally appropriate and worthwhile. So, in a film which packs in everything from male bonding to gratuitous violence to slimy special effects, what more could you possibly want?

LeonLouisRicci Ignored, Dismissed, even at Times Ridiculed and at the NY Times Panned (Canby). The Movie has Steadily Gained a Reputation as one of the Best B-Movie, Sci-fi, Action, Black Comedy Combinations Ever.It is one of those "All the stars in alignment" kind of Thing that is Spontaneous and just Emerges as a Fully Formed "Lightning Strike" that cannot be Predicted or Contrived. Anyone "Hip and Cool" that saw the Film Immediately knew that this was Something Special.Everything comes Together with such Ease and Charm that the Process Looks Effortless. Nothing is Pretentious or Over the Top, it just Reaches for the Top and Peaks at the Summit of Delightful Entertainment. it Satisfies with just the Right Ingredients, Never Adding too Much or too Little. Just the Required Measure.The Film has a Dry Wit and is quite Funny at Times with Throwaway Lines and Laugh Out Loud Monologues. The Shoot em Up Violence is Visceral and the Alien is Horrific both its Appearance and Attitude. The Good Alien is Determined, draws Sympathy, and is Almost Aloof but Never Waivers. Its Humility is Directly Opposite of the Bad Alien's Hubris.The Casting is Spot On from Kyle Mclaughlin to Michael Nouri and the Supporting Cast is also Worthy of Mention. The Ending is Inspired and Touching after such a Brutal and Confrontational Film and is just One More Reason why this One Rises Above Many Others as a B-Movie Classic.