The Hidden poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Michael Nouri, Kyle MacLachlan, Ed O'Ross, Clu Gulager, Claudia Christian ... see more see more... , Clarence Felder , William Boyett , Richard Brooks (VI) , Larry Cedar , John McCann , Chris Mulkey , Deke Anderson , Joey Aresco , Wren T. Brown , Katherine Cannon , Doug Collins , Duane Davis , Rick Diamond , Steve Eastin , Jason Edwards , Loren Haynes , Lew Hopson , Jeff Levine , Rick Lieberman , James Luisi , Jack McGee , Buckley Norris , Joe Perce , Mark Phelan , Whitney Reis , Frank Renzulli , Branscombe Richmond , Joey Sagal , Lin Shaye , Danny Trejo , Joe Whipp , Michael Yama , Richard Whitaker , Ted White , Alan Marcus , Mary Petrie , Charlie Skeen , Judy Kerr , Robert Brown

A cop discovers that there's something unusual about his new partner in this unusual sci-fi thriller. A seemingly well-mannered stock broker one day snaps, robbing a bank, stealing a Ferrari, and driv... read more read more...ing straight into a police barricade without any thought for his own safety, and he's mowed down by a hail of bullets. The detective assigned to the case, Tom Beck (Michael Nouri), thinks that he notices a strange look in the eye of the thief, but when FBI agent Lloyd Gallagher (Kyle MacLachlan) informs Tom that he's also been assigned to the case, he thinks that he sees the same curious look in Lloyd's eyes as well. Lloyd also has an odd way of carrying himself, as if he's not entirely in control of his own body, and in time, Tom discovers what the two men have in common -- both are actually aliens from another planet. They are creatures from another world capable of entering a human (or animal) body at will and using it as a vessel as long as they need. When the stockbroker died, the rogue alien simply crept into another body to begin his crime spree all over again. Lloyd has been sent to Earth to bring the thief's reign of terror to a halt and has taken over the body of an FBI agent with that in mind. A major cult favorite, The Hidden also features Clu Gulager, Ed O'Ross, and Claudia Christian. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

67% liked it

5,150 ratings

Critics

77% liked it

22 critics

R, 1 hr. 36 min.

Directed by: Jack Sholder

Release Date: October 30, 1987

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: May 21, 1997

Stats: 295 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

The Hidden The Hidden The Hidden The Hidden The Hidden
Upload a Photo | View All The Hidden Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (295)

  • garyX
    January 10, 2012
    garyX
    A police detective puzzled by a rash of crimes in which seemingly ordinary, law abiding citizens suddenly become Ferrari stealing, bank robbing psychopaths comes to realize that the real perpetrator is not of this world. The Hidden could probably best be described as The Terminat... read moreor meets David Cronenberg. The interesting concept is that an alien criminal comes to Earth and physically possesses its victims (with the help of some gruesome special effects that have stood the test of time surprisingly well), moving from body to body when the host becomes too damaged. This provides the perfect set up for some outrageous action sequences featuring machine gun toting strippers, police station shoot outs and high speed car chases punctuated with just the right amount of dry, tongue in cheek humour. Not only that, but the script is far more inventive than that of the average space monster B-movie and features a cast of faces that will be familiar to fans of cult TV series Twin Peaks as well as a blink-and-you'll-miss-it bit part for Danny Trejo. The resulting cocktail is a fast paced, funny and hugely entertaining sci-fi shoot 'em up that's something of a forgotten gem.
  • FilmFanatik
    July 30, 2011
    FilmFanatik
    The Hidden, a Jack Sholder-directed 80's sci-fi fest, is about as entertaining as one would hope it to be. The film can be quite disgusting at times with the marvelous special effects put to good use in it... not to mention the very fine cast on display. The ending is a bit too s... read moreoft, but the journey there is well worth taking. Basically, a body-switching alien runs amock in Los Angeles, killing everyone in it's way, and the cops are hot on his trail. Unfortunately, the softer aspects of the story keep it from being a real masterpiece. It gets too mushy at times without really caring about what it's being mushy about. Regardless, if you enjoyed Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2's subtleties and performances, then there's a good chance you'll enjoy this one, as well.
  • skactopus
    June 18, 2008
    skactopus
    When there is an action sci-fi mixed bag with Kyle MacLachlan as the lead, you will have a blockbuster on your hands right? I think not, but this isn't a total waste of time if you like 80s buddy cop type movies.

    There is a sci-fi concept behind the story, but overall, the mov

    ... read moreie feels like a crime thriller. Most of the film deals with detective work, but there is quiet a bit of action in here. Right at the beginning of the film, you are thrown into a pretty good car chase, which ends in a frenzy of bullets. From here on out the 90 minutes goes by rather quickly.

    As far as the rest of the action goes, there are a lot of shootouts and a couple of decent car chases. There is nothing special about any of this, except for the cheap CG laser, but you need to remember that this is 80s action. With that said, it is OK. You get your share of blood and swearing too.

    Another good element of the film is the changing of the villain. Throughout the film, there are 6 different actors that play the bad guy and this really does keep the villain fresh.

    The acting is OK at best. It's difficult to say that Kyle MacLachlan actually pulls off the lead, since he and Michael Nouri seem like equals when it comes to character development and airtime. As far as the supporting cast goes, you can't go wrong with a young Claudia Christian strutting her stuff around. Don't forget to be on the lookout for a Danny Trejo cameo.

    This is one of those films that you can live without seeing, but if you are flipping through the channels, don't be afraid to leave this on.
  • briandeguelle
    March 25, 2008
    briandeguelle
    Hidden is a rare 80's beast.
    Alien body swaping film with action and gore with a great 80's rock music. Has dated since 1987 but that what must it a little more special.Worth checking out if you havn't seen it.
  • deano
    December 10, 2006
    deano
    Quite silly Alien / The Thing hybrid which although marred by sluggish directing.
  • husky10000years
    January 5, 2008
    husky10000years
    Quite silly Alien / The Thing hybrid which although marred by sluggish directing. The acting and the storyline was bad.
  • poohtiger
    August 2, 2009
    poohtiger
    Cool 80's sci-fi/action flick about a mysterious FBI Agent (Kyle MacLachlan) arriving in LA to track down a serial killer with the help of veteran LA detective Tom Beck (Michael Nouri). But it seems the killer is not who he seems and once the fed lets Beck in on the secret..that ... read morethey are actually hunting an alien who is jumping from body to body, the fun really begins. For an 80's flick, The Hidden holds up remarkably well. MacLachlan and Nouri make an effective odd couple duo and the action scenes are extremely exciting. A bonus is Claudia Christian as a stripper who is one of the bodies the alien uses for a little bit. She is a sight to behold, looking gorgeous but also deadly as she packs an automatic machine gun with grenade launcher. Car chases, shoot outs, and a little humor make The Hidden a winner.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Doctor: Detective Beck. No one deserves to die like that. I don't care what the man's done.
    Cliff Willis: He killed twelve people, wounded twenty three more, stole six cars, most of them Ferraris. Robbed eight banks, six supermarkets, four jewelery stores and a candy shop. Six of the ones he killed he carved up with a butcher knife. Two of them were kids. He did all that in two weeks. If anyone deserves to go that way, it sure in the hell was him.
  • alanjayh
    October 20, 2008
    alanjayh
    A precursor to "Men In Black"...unfortunately, no Tommy Lee Jones or Will Smith here...some decent action, shoot-outs and car chasing for this B-grade effort. Acting is rather wooden and this story won't win any awards, but it is mildly entertaining for what is is..
  • vadermccandless
    May 22, 2012
    vadermccandless
    Totally awesome science fiction that delivers the action and the drama. Throwback to 50s sci-fi with a distinctly 80s edge.
  • Raider34r
    July 10, 2011
    Raider34r
    I LOVE this movie, the action is intense, the humor is great, its a lot of fun, the movie moves at a good pace, it's not just a mindless action flick, it has a story behind it it with a nice mix of sci fi. Feels a lot like a cross between Terminator and Body Snatchers, almost lik... read moree Men in Black, before Men in Black, except its a lot better, and very underrated, a classic for sure.

View All The Hidden Reviews

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
March 26, 2009
Variety Staff, Variety

The Hidden is a well-constructed thriller, directed with swift assurance by Jack Sholder, brought down by an utterly conventional sci-fi ending. Full Review

Vincent Canby
August 30, 2004
Vincent Canby, New York Times

A jokey sci-fi horror movie about the desperate pursuit of a vile ''thing'' from outer space. Full Review

Peter Stack
January 1, 2000
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

Too predictable, and even though wickedly fun at times, it's only halfway as awesome as it might have been. Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

Its virtues are ones that you almost never encounter in movies of this sort; it's really a unique little item -- if there's such a thing as punk soulfulness, then this movie has it. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

A sleeper that talks like a thriller and walks like a thriller, but has more brains than the average thriller. Full Review

Chuck O'Leary
March 5, 2006
Chuck O'Leary, FulvueDrive-in.com

A fast and furious blast of sci-fi action that was obviously inspired by The Terminator.

Derek Adams
February 9, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

Powered by a driving rock score, this is by turns sleek, reckless, and smoothly effective, like a Ferrari with a psycho killer at the wheel. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
October 27, 2005
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

One of those pleasant surprises that turned out far more intelligent and exciting than it looked, and it holds up well nearly 20 years later. Full Review

Andreas Samuelson
June 10, 2005
Andreas Samuelson, Slasherpool

What could have been a great sci-fi horror flick with awesome effects priorities talky buddy-cop thriller and alien comedy clichés Full Review

Brian Webster
October 28, 2003
Brian Webster, Apollo Guide

The Hidden is uninspired but still reasonably good fun for action movie and sci-fi fans. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • Invasion of the Body Snatchers
    Invasion of the Body Snatchers (100%)
  • Laserblast
    Laserblast (67%)
  • Fallen
    Fallen (100%)
  • Shocker
    Shocker (100%)

More Movies like The Hidden

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

The Hidden : Watch Free on TV

The Hidden Trivia

  • In the movie "The Hidden", how does the alien take control of a host body?  Answer »
  • What is the film.. from this movie tagline? "They call themselves "The ......." The secret caves. The old lighthouse. The lost map. The treacherous traps. The hidden treasure. And Sloth... Join the adventure.  Answer »
  • This Akira Kurosawa film is said to have been the main inspiration for the first "Star Wars" (Episode 4):  Answer »
  • A young boy who's grandad went missing has to find the hidden ruby's to save their house. Voices of Madonna, David Bowie and Ice T. Name the animated film.  Answer »
More The Hidden Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for The Hidden. Want to create one?

Video Clips

No video clips yet. Want to upload one?

Meet Other Fans

Add The Hidden to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?