The Hitcher

While delivering a car from Chicago to San Diego, Jim Halsey spots a man named John Ryder hitchhiking. Jim, feeling sympathetic, gives Ryder a ride despite the ominous aura surrounding him.

As they drive, Ryder suddenly reveals his violent nature by stating he murdered the driver of a stranded car they pass. This chilling confession marks a significant turning point in Jim's journey, transforming his simple task into a fight for survival.

Jim manages to knock Ryder out of the car, seizing a brief moment of relief. However, his peace is shattered when he later sees Ryder hitching a ride with a family vacationing in a station wagon.

After attempting to warn the family, Jim discovers too late that Ryder has brutally murdered them. This revelation intensifies Jim's dread as he realizes the extent of Ryder's madness and the danger he poses.

Jim finds himself in a tense chase with Ryder, who seems unstoppable. Whether on foot or in his car, Jim's every attempt to escape is thwarted by Ryder, who uses the chase as a twisted game.

Jim confronts Ryder at an abandoned gas station, leading to a dramatic showdown. As Ryder destroys the gas pumps and ignites a fire, Jim narrowly escapes the ensuing explosion, but the danger is far from over.

At a roadside diner, Jim attempts to hide and seek help, but his troubles escalate when he finds a severed finger in his fries. Realizing Ryder is near, Jim tries to flee, but the police wrongly arrest him instead.

After being booked in a local jail, Jim awakens to find his cell door open and the bodies of policemen scattered around. Panicked and desperate, he steals a gun and escapes just as police reinforcements arrive.

Jim takes two police officers hostage at a payphone, demanding to contact the captain to plead his innocence. But the situation escalates dramatically when Ryder confronts them, killing the officers before fleeing.

Once again, Jim meets Ryder at the diner where Ryder chillingly performs an ancient funeral ritual by placing pennies over Jim's eyes. This sets the stage for their deadly cat-and-mouse game, emphasizing Ryder's psychological torment.

After discovering that Nash, a waitress he met, is on the Greyhound bus with him, their escape is cut short when police attempt to arrest Jim. A fierce confrontation ensues, resulting in Nash taking control of the situation to help Jim escape.

While hiding out in a motel, Ryder kidnaps Nash, threatening her life to manipulate Jim. The stakes are raised as Jim is enlisted by the police to negotiate her release from Ryder's clutches.

Despite Jim's refusal to shoot Ryder during their standoff, Ryder escalates the situation, leading to a horrific tragedy when Nash is killed. This moment shatters Jim, intensifying his resolve to end Ryder's reign of terror.

Jim steals a gun from the police captain and chases down a transport bus carrying Ryder. In a fierce showdown, Jim and Ryder clash violently, leading to a heart-stopping battle for survival.

In a dramatic final confrontation, Jim overcomes Ryder, who unexpectedly rises from the dead. After a fierce struggle, Jim manages to kill Ryder once and for all, finally bringing an end to his torment.