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The Hidden

The Hidden

It's only human on the outside...

198797 minRMidcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Director
Jack Sholder
Starring
Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Nouri, Ed O'Ross, Claudia Christian

When average, law-abiding citizens suddenly turn to a life of hedonistic behavior and violent crime, Detective Tom Beck is tasked with helping young FBI agent Lloyd Gallagher determine the cause.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Hidden?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Hidden to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Hidden?

The Hidden earns 6 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is The Hidden worth watching?

The Hidden's Midcredits score is the 82nd percentile of all films, from 63K ratings across 6 sources. 73% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

82nd percentile

Better received than 82% of films

84th percentile among Crime83rd percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)79th
Approval (how many liked it)82nd

70 /100

79th percentile of all films

83rd percentile among Crime82nd percentile among 1980s

Critics 69 · Audience 70

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.1 — solid but not unanimous.

73% liked it

82nd percentile of all films

82nd percentile among Crime83rd percentile among 1980s
73% rated it 7–1027% rated it 1–6

Critics 76% · Audience 73%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 5 noms overall

92nd percentile

63K ratings across platforms

90th percentile among Crime92nd percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$5M
Opening weekend$2.5M
Domestic gross$9.7M
Worldwide gross$9.7M

Returned 1.9× its budget — 76th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps call it a derivative 1980s sci-fi action film with a high body count and a chase structure.

Fans praised

  • fast, kinetic blend of sci-fi, action, and black comedy
  • Kyle MacLachlan's weirdly likable alien cop character
  • hidden body-count easter eggs and darkly funny tonal jokes

Detractors panned

  • sluggish pacing and too few satisfying shootouts
  • low tension and minimal suspense for a thriller
  • derivative of The Terminator and The Thing

What stands out

Acting78

Fine cast with MacLachlan and Nouri, though some lack depth

Humor78

Darkly comic and tongue-in-cheek, from body-count gags to quips

Atmosphere75

Paranoid 80s LA vibe, strong genre mood

Effects and spectacle70

Good alien effects and high body count, but short shootouts

Characters62

Buddy-cop dynamic praised; villain motivation thin

Plot and story60

Simple alien-chase premise with logic gaps

OriginalityDivisive55

Fresh for its time but derivative of Terminator/Thing

PacingDivisive52

Well-paced for fans; sluggish and undercut for detractors

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 16 points higher than women.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 12 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Hidden like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want to be scared.

It is intense, never lets up and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseThrillingDread
Heaviest: middle
Register
Deadpan · 1% of films: Delivered flat and unsmiling, which is the joke.Adventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
TonePlays its absurd premise of an alien crime spree with a straight, deadpan comedic touch, never winking but leaning into the situation's inherent humour.
The rideThe film sustains high tension from the opening chase through the alien's host-hopping, with the most intense sequences clustered in the middle as the investigation escalates.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional linear action-horror structure, with a clear setup, escalating chase, and climactic confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

FunBittersweet
Why it leaves you this wayThe relentless energy and deadpan humour leave a grin, while the poignant ending lingers.
How it ends · evidence
Happy endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeAn alien parasite possessing humans goes on a crime spree; a detective and an alien FBI agent hunt it down to stop its deadly rampage.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsJustice · 13% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe story hinges on the alien's ability to erase and assume identities, forcing the detective to doubt everyone around him while pursuing a killer that is never what it appears.
StanceThe film warns about the hidden menace that can lurk in ordinary people, using the alien as a metaphor for crime and violence that erupts without warning.

The world

Contemporary
Orchestral modernRockSupportive music · hybrid
SettingLos Angeles in the late 1980s, a sun-soaked but dangerous city of car chases, strip clubs, and police corruption.

Content guide

Is The Hidden okay for kids?

R

The Hidden is rated R. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (75/100), sexual content at moderate (37/100), language at intense (67/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (60/100) and frightening material at intense (67/100). Overall it is heavier than 55% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 7 other countries
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Czechia15+
  • Denmark15
  • ItalyT
  • Netherlands18
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 73% of all filmsHeavier than 55% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 33%
Profanity
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 49%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 76%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Heavy almost across the board: violence, language, frightening material, and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Hidden have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Hidden?

Cast

Kyle MacLachlan
as Lloyd Gallagher
newcomer then · star now
Michael Nouri
as Tom Beck
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ed O'Ross
as Cliff Willis
Claudia Christian
as Brenda Lee Van Buren
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
William Boyett
as Jonathan Miller
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Chris Mulkey
as Jack DeVries
Clarence Felder
as Lt. John Masterson
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Clu Gulager
as Lt. Ed Flynn
Richard Brooks
as Sanchez
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Larry Cedar
as Brem
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Hidden?

Movies like The Hidden include Rush Hour (1998), Men in Black (1997) and Black Moon Rising (1986). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set in Los Angeles, and several are buddy comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Jim Kouf wrote 3 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Hidden?

76 other films share the rarest tag below, follows: alien. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.