Reviews

I found this film solely by accident when I was on a big Kyle MacLachlan kick (which is a pretty weird and wild ride to be on) and was shocked at how good this film was!! The plot deals with an alien who is going around and possessing other people bodies. He get's his kicks by killing and stealing anything he wants. Kyle MacLachlan plays an FBI agent, who's just a little bit weird. But then again, plot is not the driving factor in the action/sci-fi genre. The real question is: what is the adrenaline factor of the moive? Needless to say, it's pretty high. The action is stylishly done and the effects hold up quite well for a movie that was made before the digital revolution of the 1990s. This film deserves its place on the sci-fi mantle with Aliens and The Terminator (The Hidden is obviously influenced by the two) as one of the best of the 80s.

I approached this film after seeing the other great movies of Michael Cimino (Deer Hunter, Thuderbolt and Lightfoot) with more than a little trepidation. It had as stink of infamy that is brought up every time a movie goes wildly over budget (Titanic, Waterworld etc.). I sat down on a weekend night, turned on the answering machine and I prepared to watch this 220 minute bench warmer. Does the film deserve it's infamy? No. I can think of a number of different films that were a lot more deserving of that title. I was surprised to see that the film had a great cast and they hold up their end of the bargain. There is no majorly weak performances. The problem with this movie, which details the Johnston County Wars of 1890, is its lack of focus. Individual scenes grab you, but as a whole there is something lacking. Also, try to watch a widescreen version if you are able to find it. The pan and scan copy does no justice to the breathtaking cinematography.

The film could use some editing, but don't we say that about every film over three hours? Basically this film is one that should be watched in history class. It portrays one of the ugly episodes in the pursuit of the American Dream, but fails to maintain excitement for the whole picture.