The Hitcher (15), Odeon, Merry Hill, Dudley, 3 stars. (From Stourbridge News)

The Hitcher (15), Odeon, Merry Hill, Dudley, 3 stars.

Sean Bean stars in the remake of the 1986 cult horror film as a psychotic killer chasing a couple of college kids as they head across New Mexico.

The young couple (Zachary Knighton and Sophia Bush) give blood-thirsty hitcher Bean a lift along a desert highway and discover they have made a huge mistake shortly into the ride.

They manage to escape and Bean, who puts in a suitably terrifying performance, slaughters a long list of policemen and other hapless people who get inbetween him and his intended victims.

At times the film degenerates into the ridiculous, like when the couple, on the run from the mass murderer, break into a motel room and Sophia lies down for a much-deserved nap in her underwear.

It seems slightly unrealistic that a nice little sleep would be possible when a serial-killing maniac is determined you will be his next victim.

But in its favour it is a very scary film that keeps the audience in suspence and involves at least three jump out of your seat moments and enough blood and gore for horror fans.

Compared to the original starring Rutger Hauer it is a poor effort, but if you want a run of the mill horror film that will keep you on the edge of your seat you could do worse than The Hitcher.