Passenger

Film: Passenger

Year: 2026

Director: André Øvredal

Writer: Zachary Donohue and T.W. Burgess

Starring: Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell and Melissa Leo

Review:

This was a film that I learned about from the trailer ahead of seeing a movie. When I realized that it was a new horror film, I stopped watching. The bit that I saw looked interesting. I’ll be honest though; I didn’t know if it was going to be a creature feature akin to The Monster (2016) or more of what we got here with a curse. Something else was that I didn’t even realize when settling in to watch this that was directed by André Øvredal. He’s a director that I’m a fan of. I did come into this one blind aside from what I’ve shared here.

Synopsis: after a young couple witnesses a gruesome highway accident, they soon realize they did not leave the crash scene alone, as a demonic presence called the Passenger (Joseph Lopez) won't stop until it claims them both.

We start this with two guys who are driving down a road that cuts through a forest at night. Lucas Tedesco (Miles Fowler) is sleeping while the driver is Daniel (Alan Trong). He messes with his buddy and terrifies him awake. They banter back and forth, with Lucas needing to relieve himself. He goes down an embankment and thinks that Daniel is messing with him. The horn starts and continues. It annoys Lucas who comes back up to see that his friend is missing and all the doors as well as the trunk are open. Lucas gets the scare of his life and tries to flee.

Things then shift to what I believe they say to be six months later. We meet our couple. Maddie (Lou Llobell) is finishing up packing while Tyler (Jacob Scipio) brings around their new vehicle. Their plan is to live out of this van that is set up similar to a camper or a tiny house. They’re hitting the open road and traveling the country. A bit more backstory that we’ll learn. Tyler had a rough upbringing so he just wants to be free of being locked down. Maddie was raised in foster care, so she’s hoping to finally lay down roots.

This duo then runs into their first bit of trouble. They slept on a beach and in the morning, Maddie wants to try a BBQ spot on their way to the resort they’re staying at. Tyler is fearful they’ll be late. He gives in, but he’s also right. He has a big question for Maddie that gets interrupted. She seems to love him, but they’re on different pages.

That night things turned into a nightmare. Tyler is sleeping with Maddie driving. A car comes up on them. They ride the van’s bumper and then finally pass. Further down the road, they see that the car was in an accident. It ran into a tree. The couple calls the police to report what they found. Maddie sees Lucas trying to get out and is pulled back in. She then notices someone lurking around the edge of the woods. Tyler doesn’t see anyone.

Due to all this tension, it is decided that they’re going to a gathering of people like them that they could check out. He is intrigued and excited to meet an influencer who inspired Tyler. Maddie meets a woman, Diana (Melissa Leo), who gives her advice. She does seem to be nervous hearing about what they say the night previous.

Our couple then continues on their journey but it seems they have whatever Maddie saw following them. Tyler at first doesn’t experience it, but seeing the terror on his fiancée’s face makes him believe. They must figure out what is after them before they meet a similar fate to others who have experienced what they have.

That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’m going to start is that I originally saw this on Tuesday, following its opening weekend. I did see that reviews weren’t necessarily favorable. That did temper my expectations, but I also like to come in as a blank slate and just follow where the movie took me. What I will say is that there are things that hooked me in and things that felt a bit too generic as well.

The film has strong positives, starting with an engaging concept. While it follows a familiar J-horror structure where an opening duo and then a main couple become cursed, it stands out because the protagonists are undeserving victims punished for their good nature. As a fan of road horror, I enjoyed the sense of inescapable dread, reminiscent of Race with the Devil, where the haunting persists no matter how far they travel.

Something else that worked was the use of folklore. It is woven into the "rules of the road," though I’m unsure if these were real or created for the film. By the time Diana warns them not to drive at night and if you do, don’t stop. The couple has already done both by then. A roadside book introduces Maddie to hobo symbols from the dawn of the interstate era, and her discovery of a mark representing the entity was a great touch.

I’ll then shift over to the entity. I’m going to tread lightly so as not to spoil anything. What I’ll say is that I love the concept. We don’t get an information dump per say. The extent of what we learn is what Maddie finds in that book and then what they find online. Early on, Tyler hangs a St. Christopher’s Medal. A tale gets introduced and alludes to the age of this specter. That was something that I found creative since this is incorporated in religious lore as well.

Other themes that I’ll include here would be the duality of this couple. I touched on this slightly but I do like seeing the restless nomad in Tyler and trying to come to terms with his significant other, who is craving a permanent home. This then explores this with the ‘haunted house’ being their van. It is invaded by this entity and they have nowhere to go. This film does seem to lean heavily into showing how dangerous the open road is and that settling down roots is the safer route. In general, that makes sense. It does have an inherent threat in the unknown and the other.

Regarding filmmaking, this is where I had issues. Starting positive, the cinematography and framing effectively convey the van's claustrophobia as the highwayman haunts them. However, the editing relies too heavily on jump scares; while some were effective, more sustained dread would have fit the mean-spirited tone better. Although the sound design and music enhance the atmosphere and the occasional brutality is appreciated, the CGI-heavy effects contribute to an overall generic, Hollywood feel.

All that is left then would be the acting performances. Llobell and Scipio were good as our leads. What I like is that we’re seeing this couple at a crossroads. They love each other. Marriage between them would work, but the issue currently is that they want different things with their lives. I do think that works well for building on the story. Leo is good as this ‘expert’ and harbinger. Lopez has a great look as the entity. I like what Fowler and Trong did to set the stage. Other than that, the rest of the cast rounded this out for what was needed.

In conclusion, this is a solid entry into the road horror subgenre that succeeds through its engaging concept, effectively weaving together themes of duality and atmospheric folklore. While the acting performances from the leads and supporting cast provide a strong emotional anchor, the film is somewhat hampered by its execution, specifically an over-reliance on jump scares and generic CGI that detracts from its more creative elements. Despite these pitfalls, it remains a worthwhile watch for fans of the genre looking for a mean-spirited and dread-filled journey.

My Rating: 7 out of 10