DVD Corner

Passenger Blu-ray Review

“Passenger” is a very bumpy ride.  

Scripted by Zachary Donoue and T.W. Burgess, “Passenger” is an original supernatural horror film. The story revolves around a couple (Maddie and Tyler) who are embarking on a new chapter by going full on van life. Their newfound freedom takes a detour, however, when they come across an entity known as The Passenger. The Passenger has marked their van with three claw marks which means it will follow them and eventually kill them. The ghostly visage is linked with the disappearance of countless people (especially those living life on the road). Will they be able to rid themselves of this curse or are is this engaged couple doomed?

Director André Øvredal is no stranger to the horror genre having helmed “Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark,” “The Autopsy Of Jane Doe,” “The Last Voyage Of The Demeter,” and his best work, “The Trollhunter.” “Passenger” is his latest foray into horror, but unfortunately, he veers off course with this one.

After extraordinary 2026 indie horror films like “Obsession,” studio horror like “Passenger” feels positively bland. Despite being an original horror title, the film offers up nothing original. It plays like a cross between “Nomadland” and “It Follows” with a dash of curse films like “The Ring” and even the “Creepshow 2” segment “The Hitchhiker.” It’s all too familiar, but worse than that, it brings nothing new to the table. You can see the jump scares coming a mile away and, once again, Øvredal relies far too heavily on CGI scares. I don’t know how many times I have to say this (or who needs to hear it), but CGI isn’t scary. People remember genuinely chilling moments involving real characters or incredible practical effects. You don’t remember CGI scares that become super dated in a short amount of time. It’s a shame “Passenger” never panned out as the potential is there. The Passenger spirit could have been a genuinely unsettling concept instead of an amalgam of better films.

Cast wise, it’s essentially a three person film with Lou Llobell (of “Foundation” fame), Jacob Scipio and Oscar winner Melissa Leo as Diana who knows a lot about the Passenger. Llobell and Leo turn in solid performances here and do their best to mask the film’s shortcomings.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 1080p. How does it look? Fans will be happy to know that this is a perfect hi-def transfer. Note: A 4K release is not available at this time.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? From the music to the jump scares, this is a highly effective Atmos track. 

The lone extra is a Digital copy.

September 6, 2026 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Horror Film, Passenger 2026 Movie, Passenger Blu-ray Review