I had no expectations for The Passenger going in… I thought the title was generic and Blumhouse has both a good track record and a bad one. But they are the reason I gave it a shot.

The film is about a meek kid working at a fast food job. After being bullied by a coworker, he’s taken hostage by a much more assertive, much angrier guy. What does he want and will the kid survive the ride?

This flick is tension and anxiety printed to celluloid (or digital bits, as the case may be). I was impressed at how it continuously had me wondering where it was going… and who would survive (and what would be left of them… the movie is pretty bloody).

The only ding I give it is one of motivation. What exactly the kidnapper wants or why he does what he does is never really clear (though maybe the movie is saying that decipher the motivations of a madman is a fool’s errand). We never get a firm answer but we do get hints… but it’s never quite satisfying enough.

The actors do a great job, nailing exactly what they are asked to do. Johnny Bertchold has the tougher job as the kid… he has to play it quiet while showing the desperation and calculations behind his eyes. Kyle Gallner as the antagonist is rage bubbling over… but he also plays a certain level of calmness and compassion. They are a good balancing act.

This is a very solid movie. It had me uncertain where we were going and that’s rare. It made me care, too… especially in a refreshing sequence between the kid and a former teacher. This is solid work only marred a little by never really getting enough into the head of the antagonist… which is likely intentional.

Score: 87