The Passenger

The Passenger

Year: 1975

Runtime: 126 mins

Language: English

Director: Michelangelo Antonioni

MysteryThrillerDrama

David Locke, a jaded American reporter sent to cover a war in northern Africa, struggles to find a story. After stumbling upon the corpse of a man who resembles him, he adopts the dead man’s identity, only to discover the stranger was an arms dealer. With the help of a striking woman, Locke must evade both police and ruthless criminals who are after him.

The Passenger (1975) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at The Passenger (1975) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the dusty heat of northern Africa, a conflict-ravaged landscape serves as both backdrop and character for a weary journalist. David Locke, a disillusioned American reporter, has been dispatched to capture the stark realities of a civil war that seems to resist the simple narratives his editors crave. The film opens with his restless quest for a story that could revive his fading reputation, painting a picture of a world where truth is as elusive as the shifting sands and where every conversation hints at deeper, unspoken currents.

A chance encounter with the corpse of a man who bears an uncanny resemblance to him forces Locke into an impossible decision. He steps into the dead stranger’s identity, only to discover that the man was entangled in a shadowy world of arms dealing—a line that blurs the boundaries between journalism and the very violence he was sent to document. This unexpected turn drags the reporter into a maze of unfamiliar loyalties, where the line between observer and participant becomes dangerously thin.

Amid the chase through foreign cities and cramped hotel rooms, a striking woman appears, offering both allure and a tenuous alliance. Together they navigate a tension‑filled atmosphere thick with uncertainty, where police scrutiny and the relentless pursuit of ruthless figures create a constant undercurrent of danger. The film’s tone balances gritty realism with a noir‑style intrigue, immersing the audience in a journey that is as much about the internal exile of a man searching for purpose as it is about the external chase through a world that refuses to stay still.

Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 18:16

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Existential identity thrillers like The Passenger

Stories where a stolen identity leads down a paranoid rabbit hole.Movies like The Passenger where a character's identity swap spirals into a tense and melancholic journey. If you enjoyed the paranoid atmosphere and existential questions, you'll find similar stories of fate and mistaken identity in these films.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically follows a disillusioned protagonist who seizes an opportunity to escape their life, only to discover the new identity comes with dangerous baggage—often criminal entanglements. The story unfolds as a tense chase, but the real conflict is internal, as the character grapples with the futility of their escape and the nature of self.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped by their shared focus on identity as a trap, a mood of pervasive anxiety, and a bleak, often fatalistic tone. They combine the suspense of a thriller with the psychological weight of an existential drama.

Atmospheric slow burn thrillers like The Passenger

Thrillers where the chase is as philosophical as it is physical.If you liked the steady, tense pacing and dreamlike atmosphere of The Passenger, this list features similar thrillers. These movies prioritize mood and existential dread over fast-paced action, creating a uniquely immersive and unsettling viewing experience.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread follow a linear but deliberate cat-and-mouse structure. The plot is propelled by a series of encounters and clues, allowing time for atmospheric dread to build. The journey is often geographically and psychologically expansive, leading to an inevitable and grim conclusion that underscores the themes of fate and isolation.

Why These Movies?

These films share a specific combination of high tension and steady, sometimes slow, pacing. They create a powerful mood of alienation and inevitability, using visuals and sound to build a claustrophobic or surreal world around a protagonist who is both physically hunted and spiritually lost.

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The Passenger Summary

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The Passenger Summary

The Passenger Timeline

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The Passenger Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in The Passenger

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Characters, Settings & Themes in The Passenger

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