The Passenger(2023)
2023 · Carter Smith · 98 min
Randolph Bradley is perfectly content fading into the background, but when his coworker Benson snaps and goes on a violent killing spree, he’s forced to face his fears and confront his troubled past in order to find a way to survive.
Drama · Thriller
6.5222 votes
TMDB score
3/5
Intensity
3/5
Gore
3/5
Stays with you
How The Passenger scares
It opens like a quiet character study before snapping into a violent workplace incident, then settles into a tense, drawn-out road trip where the real danger is being trapped with someone unpredictable. The scares come less from shocks and more from watching a fragile situation slowly tighten, mixed with sudden bursts of real-world violence. As it goes on, it digs into old wounds and personal guilt, turning uncomfortable and heavy rather than fun. It's better suited to people who like slow-building hostage thrillers with a nasty edge than those looking for a jump-scare ride.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, The Passenger rates psychological 4/5, visceral 3/5, gore 3/5, lingering effect 3/5, and overall intensity 3/5.
- Psychological: 4 of 5
- Visceral: 3 of 5
- Gore: 3 of 5
- Lingering: 3 of 5
- Intensity: 3 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 20 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 95 of 100 — leans Real-world
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 65 of 100 — leans Disturbing
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
Opens with a sudden jolt of violence, then settles into an uneasy, twisty road-trip tension that flares up again before the end.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 2, 4, 5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4.
How scary is The Passenger?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, The Passenger rates 3/5 — solidly scary, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be moderately gory and genuinely disturbing. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
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