Passenger (2026)

When I say that Passenger is a simple horror movie, I mean that as a compliment. It is not “elevated” horror in any sense. There’s no convoluted lore or characters suffering from unresolved trauma. It’s a straight-forward ghost story that only wants to scare us with spooky sights and sounds. If you’re a fan of horror movies, the “you’re being followed by something that will kill you in the end” plot device will remind you of Smile, Drag me to Hell, The Ring and many other horror movies, where the victim is doomed because of incredibly bad luck.

Passenger may be familiar and have modest ambitions, but it works because it’s well-made. Horror veteran director André Øvredal (The Autopsy of Jane Doe, The Last Voyage of the Demeter) does an excellent job bringing the material to life. Øvredal is proficient at staging scenes that build tension and deliver jump-scares, and this movie has plenty of both. The movie is beautifully shot by Federico Verardi, who ingenuously uses headlights and tail lights as substitutes for the old “candle in the dark” effect in haunted house movies.

The movie has two handsome and charming actors in the lead roles in Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell, and they exhibit plenty of chemistry throughout. I liked how they’re in love, but not quite on the same page because of issues going back to their difficult childhoods. He prefers an untethered, nomadic existence, but she wants to settle down. The movie graciously gives them enough scenes to discuss their feelings like adults, and they come off as likeable and relatable people.

While the plot is very pedestrian, the script by Zachary Donohue and T.W. Burgess is filled with little details that make the movie richer than I was expecting. The movie expresses its fondness for painter Bob Ross, delves into the hobo code, showcases van life, needle-drops the Hawaii Five-O theme, showcases Roman Holiday, explores the legend of St Christopher and expresses love of tacky souvenir shops. The movie’s quirkiness gives it more than enough personality to compensate for its generic feel.

My complaint with Passenger is that it’s slight. It’s only 94 minutes long, and I wondered if it was cut down significantly before it was released. More time should have been devoted to the myth of the Passenger, for example. Melissa Leo’s role is a forgettable two-scene cameo. And scenes describing the couple’s lives before hitting the road are notably absent. The movie is decently paced, but it comes at the expense of the character development.

As a campfire ghost story, Passenger is effective. While the malevolent entity at its center is nondescript, the film benefits from its charming leads, quirky details, evocative nighttime photography and scary scenes. There’s nothing new here, but it’s done well. Recommended.

For my full-length review, click here: https://detroitcineaste.net/2026/06/02/passenger-2026-movie-review-analysis-andre-ovredal/