Film Review: The Hidden (1987)

Hostile alien creating mayhem on the streets of Los Angeles much to frustration of clueless LAPD is one of the more annoying cliches of late 1980s and early 1990s Hollywood science fiction. Some of those films, however, were better than others and at least one was very good. The Hidden, 1987 film directed by Jack Sholder, established the high standard for all the films of such nature.

The plot begins when stockbrocker Jack DeVries (played by Scott Mulkey) commits bloody robbery of Los Angeles Wells Fargo bank, which is just one of many incidents in violent crime spree which has inexplicably started two weeks ago; until that time DeVries was ordinary and peaceful citizen. The spree comes to an end when LAPD manages to stop his vehicle and DeVries ends up heavily burned in hospital, where he is most likely to die very soon. For Thomas Beck (played by Michael Nouri), LAPD homicide detective in charge of the investigation, that should be the end of the story, but Lloyd Gallagher (played by Kyle MacLachlan), FBI agent who just arrived from Seattle to assist the investigation, thinks otherwise. Something strange happens in the hospital; soon after DeVries succumbed to his injuries, Jonathan P. Miller (played by William Boyett), comatose accountant who was lying in next bed, inexplicably leaves hospital and begins stealing various objects and cars, killing anyone who stands in his way. Beck is faced with another murder spree and Gallagher insists the two are connected. Beck, however, doesn’t know that the perpetrator in both cases is the same – alien parasite slug with ability to move from body to body, removing the mind of its unfortunate host. Beck gradually also begins notice some strange things about his partner Gallagher and begins to wonder whether he is truly who he says he is.

The Hidden was made by New Line Cinema, studio which was considered to be minor at the time, at this was its most expensive production at the time. The film has (almost) everything 1980s B-film was supposed to have – plenty of gunfights, car chases, high body count, large quantities of spilled blood, loud heavy music, cool luxury cars and even an unexpectedly violent sex scene. Sadly for those concerned, there isn’t any nudity, although Claudia Christian (who would later become famous as Commander Susan Ivanova in Bablyon 5) tries her best to compensate for that in the role of machine gun-wielding stripper. To add to all that, the main plot deal with malevolent mind-possessing alien that indulges in the most violent or depraved instincts of its human victims. Thankfully, script by Jim Kouf appears to be stand high above its exploitation roots. It is well-written and based on rather interesting idea to wrap all that content not in the genre frames of science fiction or horror, but genuine buddy cop film. Director Jack Sholder follows that by giving emphasis on action, resulting in series of fast-paced, exciting action scenes with some pyrotechnics and impressive stunt work.

The most laudable thing about The Hidden is the way Kouf’s script tries to make some variations of “buddy cop” conventions and cliches, and does so in a way to allows diverse cast to show its talents. Michael Nouri plays conventional hardened “by the book” policeman, while Kyle MacLachlan plays his partner who is strangely unemotional and looks almost autistic. For MacLachlan, who had only two previous film roles at this point of career, character of Lloyd Gallagher also served as some sort of dry run for the role of another FBI agent in Twin Peaks, TV series which would bring him the most fame. Although Nouri does good job, MacLachlan is much better, often having to leave very subtle hints about the audience about his true nature. The rest of the cast is also good, especially the diverse set of actors playing the same character in different possessed bodies (Mulkey, Boyett, Christian, Clarence Felder, Ed O’Ross and Maurice Colbourne). Surprisingly good impression of the film is at times compromised by annoying music by Michael Convertino and cinematography by Jacques Haitkin which uses too much green colour. The Hidden, however, delivers its best surprise at the end, with bittersweet finale which is deliberately left ambiguous and which, unlike so many B-films, allows various viewers to make their own conclusions. The result is very good science fiction film that stood the test the time, unlike its 1993 direct-to-video sequel The Hidden II.

RATING: 7/10 (+++)

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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/12476-the-hidden
Critic: AA