Official Trailer
Rating: 7/10 | Genre: Horror, Thriller | Runtime: 94 min
Starring: Lou Llobell, Jacob Scipio, Melissa Leo, Joseph Lopez, Tony Doupe
I just finished watching Passenger and honestly, I’m still thinking about it. Not in that “wow what a masterpiece” way, but more like I can’t quite shake the feeling of dread it left me with. This is a solid horror-thriller that knows exactly what it wants to be, and for the most part, it nails it.
The setup is simple. A young couple is driving through the highway when they witness a horrific car accident. They stop to help, but something follows them away from that scene. Not something human. Something that calls itself the Passenger, and it’s basically set on ending both of them. The movie takes place mostly in their van, which is a smart choice because it immediately limits the space and ramps up the claustrophobia.
Lou Llobell and Jacob Scipio play the couple, and they’re both really good here. Llobell especially carries a lot of the emotional weight. There’s a moment about halfway through where she realizes what’s actually happening, and the way her face changes is genuinely unsettling. Scipio does the panicked boyfriend thing without making it annoying, which is harder than it sounds. Melissa Leo shows up in flashbacks and brief scenes, but she makes an impression even with limited screen time.
What works best about this movie is the pacing. It’s only 94 minutes, and it doesn’t waste a single one of them. The accident happens fast. The Passenger makes itself known pretty quickly. There’s no long setup where you’re waiting for something to happen. Things just happen. That said, the first act does a better job building tension than the second act maintains it. Once you know what you’re dealing with, some of the scares become more predictable.
The van becomes a character of its own, which I appreciate. You’re trapped in there with these people and this thing, and the filmmakers use that confined space well. There are some genuinely unsettling moments, especially when the Passenger is just present but not doing anything. The unknown is scarier than the reveal, and this movie seems to understand that.
The effects are decent without being overdone. Nothing looks cheap, but nothing looks like a big budget tentpole either. That works in its favor actually. The practical stuff hits harder than it would if it were dripping with CGI. There’s one particular moment near the end that I won’t spoil, but it stuck with me.
Where things get a little shaky is in the third act. The movie starts to rely more on jump scares and less on atmosphere. A couple of the decisions the characters make don’t quite track logically, and you start thinking about what you’d do instead of just going with it. The ending itself is decent but feels a bit rushed given how much time the movie spent building dread in the first half.
I’d say this is worth your time if you like horror that leans into tension rather than gore, and if you’re okay with a movie that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Passenger is exactly what it promises to be: a tight, uncomfortable thriller that traps two people with something awful and doesn’t let up. It’s not going to be the scariest thing you watch this year, but it’s definitely competent enough to get under your skin.
Have you seen this one yet, or is it on your watch list?
Where to Watch
Streaming availability varies by region. Check your favorite streaming platform to see if this title is available in your country.