| The Hitcher II:I've Been Waiting (2003) Cast:C.Thomas Howell,Jake Busey,Kari Wuher C. Thomas Howell returns as Jim Halsey one of the (very few) survivors from the first, however 17 years have past and he's still tortured by the events that took place, however after being kicked off the police force he returns to the town to finally face the events that happened to him, however when his fetching girlfriend Maggie (Kari Wuher) insists he picks up a hitchhiker (Jake Busey) things turn into a full fledged nightmare in this disappointing sequel that while well made doesn't live up to it's predecessor's high expectations. (Spoiler Coming up in bottom sentence, don't read any further if you want to be surprised.) That said, Howell gives a pretty good performance adding a sense of intensity and humanity to the part which makes the overall first half enjoyable, however once he is killed off the movie turns into a standard "woman on the run thriller" with Kari Wuher taking Howell's place. The beginning rings of intensity that even comes close to the original's taut suspense, but let's face it Jake Busey is no Rutger Hauer and the overall change of villian styles from ruthlessly cold villian to Freddy Krueger-like villian is a bad move which grinds the movie down to slasher crap. Overall a mediocre movie that has it's moments but lacks suspense. Which is hardly worth waiting for. D.Louis Morneau ** |