Split Second: The Best Alien Rip-Off You Never Saw?

Major stardom never really happened for Rutger Hauer. Why? Perhaps it was because the movies of Hauer’s that did best at the box office were the ones where he played the villain, such as The Hitcher. He was so unforgettable as a bad guy that when he played a hero, such as in the 1986 actioner Wanted: Dead or Alive, he came off as too intense and possibly psychotic. That movie hurt his chances at a big-screen action hero, even though the way he kills the villain, played by Gene Simmons, is perhaps the most excellent kill in 80s movie history. While his movies did poorly theatrically, they cleaned up on home video, paving the way for many low-budget actioners. Yet, next to Philip Noyce’s Blind Fury , one Hauer movie stands head and shoulders above the others, Split Second, which is this week’s best movie you ever saw!
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[@Jose-se9pu]

The main character dealing with trauma and anxiety by consuming alarming quantities of coffee and chocolate was the original "literally me".

[@JoBloOriginals]

Hahaha - in some ways it’s original because in the more typical version it would have been alcohol. Coffee and chocolate is a bit more unique.

[@tylerdordon99]

"We need guns! Big fucking guns!"

[@JoBloOriginals]

The best line in the movie!

[@Dis-Emboweled]

And chocolate

[@LordEriolTolkien]

@@Dis-Emboweled Caffeine and Chocolate

[@alr2157]

This guy had the best monologue of cinema, probably for all eternity...

[@Zed-fq3lj]

yeah...tears in rain ARE the best monologue in film history!

[@michaelfiasco5551]

One of my close friends growing up had a father who was a Vietnam Veteran. His dad was a great guy but he had PTSD that caused severe insomnia. He would stop at Blockbuster everyday so he'd have movies to watch at night, and on weekend sleepovers, he would let us all stay up late to watch them. I credit those times for my love for and extensive knowledge of obscure yet amazing 80s/90s movies. This movie was certainly one of them.

[@peterainbow5323]

Greatest Alien rip off I did see.

[@karol2020]

OMG, I watched this with my grade 9 buddy back in '93.

[@spaceodds1985]

Love this film. As a Londoner who remembers the 90s this is a nice hark back down memory lane (even though it is set in the distant future of 2008 OMG!!!) Hilarious and nasty, Hauer, Cattrall and Duncan (as the aptly named Dick Durkin) are a total hoot.

[@CineMan1978]

This one is awesome.... definitely Rutger Hauer's most underrated movie. Plus you have the beautiful Kim Cattrall too paired with some solid creature effects.

[@zagariasbooysen7401]

I saw this film by accident in the 90ties. Was so cool but forgot about it. Just found this video. Now i have to look this film again. Thanks Dude!!

[@shainewhite2781]

Love this movie! The sewer monster looks just like Venom!

[@shadowleon659]

Alien + Predator + Blade Runner = Split Second. Love this criminally underrated Rutger Hauer film.

[@sgtjarhead99]

Saw this movie in the theaters when it first came out. Didn't quite like it at first, but then it just grew on me over the years as I took it for what it is. It's a comedy and looking at from that perspective, it's hoot. Picked up the DVD years ago just as it went OOP and prices skyrocketed after that. You can tell everyone in cast didn't take it seriously and just had fun with it, especially Rutger. RIP.

[@scottvincent3062]

When Hauer started to make money in the early 80's he got a commercial driver's license and had a custom semi and trailer made and set up like a house because he disliked staying in hotels while filming.

[@DarkVeghetta]

Pfp relevant. With a little added muscle mass, he'd have made an amazing Brock.

[@walterbowman3883]

I actually saw this in theaters

[@simonwoodthrillerwriter]

I'm from the Uk originally and I saw this at the flicks at the time and loved it. It is a hidden gem although on a recent rewatch I do think the early 90's look dates it. Totally agree that BLIND FURY is another gem on Hauser's resume. I did love WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE when it came out, but I do think that film has aged itself now. A couple of forgotten films of his of note are A BREED APART (which has a crazy production history) and the OSTERMAN WEEKEND.

[@Foo-oo-oo-oolsGold89]

Loved this movie as a kid. My grandmother who was a bit of a tomboy loved action movies and we rent alot of VHS tapes back in the day for me and my brother to watch and Split Second was one of them.

[@David-yd9se]

"The Best Alien Rip-Off You Never Saw?" DUDE I have the god dam poster for this movie !!!!

[@85wastedyears]

Literally just watched this for the first time last night, on the recent Blu ray release. It was pretty good!

[@Nickr3000]

I've met one person who has seen and/or heard of it. Saw this for the first time only last year. Severely underrated.

[@coreyballard1629]

I always loved the end of that scene. The captain reacting to Durkin "Are you telling me there's something running around loose in the city, ripping out people's hearts and eating them so he can take their souls back to hell?"and Durkin replies "Looks that way." 😂

[@Bisaju2]

Stephen Norrington who made the really fun "death machine" as well. His debut movie. Hopefully coming from kino lorber in the summer.

[@jerrygallo8314]

from the top of my head the similarities with Alien are just in the "creature" look, i remember DS being almost a supernatural thriller with some low sci fi until the very end and the monster revelation, but iirc it could have been a demon or something similar and not necessearily an alien.

[@o0Wardreamer0o]

I spent most of the movie thinking it was a werewolf.

[@felixcortez7604]

Rutger Hauer was a fine actor and could have been a major star. However he was not particular choosy when it came to movies. He simply played in them for the money regardless how bad the script.This seriously hurt his career. Only later he managed to get some fine acting roles

[@Canalus]

This is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. The plot kinda doesn't make sense, but the London setting makes it unique, and the acting is top notch.

[@ronfroehlich4697]

Rutger Hauer's finest work is Hobo With A Shotgun

[@SiyaMedia]

You must review another Hauer 80s flick, The Osterman Weekend

[@Ray30]

Spilt Second is one of my favorite movies of his. It is a shame that he didn't get the recognition he deserved. He was a great actor. I am glad to hear that I am not the only one that really likes this movie. I even bought the Mvd release which has the Japanese cut of the film.

[@gx12]

Hit me with some Knight Moves.

[@JoBloOriginals]

Interesting - considering it

[@Alexvander10]

2:11 Blind Fury (1989) is one of my favorite Rutger Hauer movies.

[@jenniferthomas999]

Rented this back in the day from Blockbuster and absolutely loved it. I eventually purchased it previously viewed from there.Still have that copy and just recently purchased the MVD Rewind Blu-ray.

[@tibedog5629]

I grew up on this movie. My dad had me watch this movie when I was 7. I have loved it ever since 30 years later it's been one of my most favorite movies that I always watch at random when my brain suddenly goes "Hey, we haven't watched creepy ooze guy in the sewers movie in a while". 02:29 - that pronunciation - ouch.. just... ouch.

[@56postoffice]

Kim Cattrell was an absolute babe in here. RIP, Rutger Hauer. I have *"Blind Fury"* as a double feature with his other work, *"Omega Doom."* on Region 1 DVD.

[@baxterwilson368]

I wanted to see this in the theater when I was ten because I remember seeing the poster and TV spots, but I came and went so fast that I didn’t even know it had been released. I eventually saw it on VHS and have the Blu-ray.

[@rolandoalvarado2979]

I saw this with my dad with a VHS copycat back in early 2000, I was waiting for this channel to mention this movie, its a really lost film

[@Godsize1976]

I feel so fortunate that I got to see Split Second in the theater!

[@RAWnoSmackDown]

I love the production of this video You didn’t tell me alot about the movie which I loved but just enough to get me VERY interested in the movie you get a follow for that

[@JoBloOriginals]

Hope you like the movie. The editor, Ed Clark, is very talented

[@RAWnoSmackDown]

@@JoBloOriginals tell him I will be looking forward to your guys work I have seen some of your videos before and was previously subscribed but my channel was deleted

[@Alexvander10]

3:29 Rutger looks kind of like the main character's in game portrait in the original Shadowrun game in 1993 for the Super Nintendo.

[@draconas88]

Dude, i forgot this movie existed, i watched it a lot when i was a kid until we lost the tape it was recorded on, thanks for the nostalgia trip and upcoming movie night recommendation

[@mataiguana5]

A very great film. Have it on VHS, DVD and Blu Ray.

[@peoplemcnuggets]

In my younger years, I used to confuse this movie with "I Come In Peace" all the time.

[@abdulkhafidsulaymaan]

I remember this movie well. It was a sleeper that we stumbled upon. We thought the villain was Venom from the Spiderman comics, that was mainly why we watched it. I don't even remember how they defeated it.. I think I'll watch that tonight.

[@amonra73]

Thanks for reminding me of this Gem! I've been searching for it...

[@meganhussey972]

Wow, I'm a major fan of Rutger Hauer and never saw this; will definitely check it out, thanks!

[@The_Greedy_Orphan]

"Christoff Lambèrt" 😂😂 someone's been watching that Mitchell and Webb look. I can confirm, that's exactly how GCSE bitesize videos were back in the 90's for UK kids.

[@liberty0758]

Seen it at least 10 times in the 90s alone, on pirated VHS. What an awesome dark sci-fi flick that was.

[@zzygyy]

This is one of the best scifi B movies from the 90s. Highly recommend

[@iammuaddib]

Rutger Hauer is a Dutch legend.

[@BossRossTube]

As many of his films i loved this movie R.i.p #reallymissthe80s90smoviescene

[@jimmyhass4900]

I was lucky enough to see this movie in theaters when it came out and I have loved it since.

[@jackmackakaheavyguyhaiku545]

I was lucky enough to see Split Second in theaters when it hit the box office. One of my favorite movies for that year. Hauer is the coolest. Catrall is as sexy as ever. Overall a fun ride.

[@OperativeD]

One of my all time favorite Rutger Hauer movies! I was one of the people watching it on HBO back in the day. I bring this movie up quite a bit and recommend people seek it out if they want a good sci-fi action buddy cop flick.

[@anthonyambrose8783]

Absolutely loved this one! Definitely caught this on late-night HBO back in the day. Kim Cattrall pre SitC days... Good times.

[@knownote]

Wanted Dead or Alive was one of my favs.

[@andrewgardner8972]

I heard that critics called it blade runner meets alien. Probably because Rutger Hauer was in blade runner as the bad guy and the creature looks like the xenomorph from alien and both movies were directed by Ridley Scott. But also it reminds me of black rain also from Ridley Scott with Michael Douglas as the renegade cop on the edge. And Rutger Hauer was the Dutch version of Michael Douglas since they were both born in the year of 1944. And both of them worked with Paul verhoeven and Ridley Scott. And the opening aerial shots of London remind me of when Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia arrive in Japan and the aerial shots arriving with Hans zimmer music makes it good.

[@borisbabich]

Had it on VHS. It was enjoyable back then. Today, I'd scoff. But, today, I scoff at nearly everything. Thanks for this. I also had Knight Moves. Who remembers Diane Lane from that one? 🎉

[@ComoGotasdeAguaCine]

As far as Im concerned, Knight Moves is one of the best thrillers of the 90s. Unfortunately its writer made Madonna's Body of evidence and Highlander 3 after that one so we can say that it was one of those cases of a writer with one great idea but nothing else worth a damn after that

[@harryv6752]

I actually went and saw this in the theater back in the day. It was an entertaining popcorn movie. But Hobo With A Shotgun will always be my favorite Hauer film.

[@happiaxxident]

I used to rent this on VHS a lot. Love the monster and wished it was seen more.

[@andrewgardner8972]

Don’t forget Gary Scott Thompson helped write hollow man with Andrew W Marlowe who wrote end of days with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Hollow man was directed by Paul verhoeven. And plus Arnold and Rutger Hauer were considered to play robocop which was also from Paul verhoeven but were rejected because they would have been too big in the suit. Arnold later worked with Paul verhoeven on total recall.

[@andrewgardner8972]

This also felt like a ghostbusters movie in the vein of the first two.

[@robvegas9354]

Cool movie!! got some 90's video store flashbacks with this one! Good times!

[@ja37d-34]

Rented it at the time, or rather a friend did. Loved it

[@thedamnedatheist]

I loved all his movies. LadyHawke, like Bladerunner, was a commercial failure but developed a huge fanbase. Split Second is so much fun, especially the sidekick when he discovers caffeine. Big Guns...

[@Paul_1971]

Saw this on its original limited theatrical run - always been one of my cult classics

[@johnberry5296]

Good work, I’ve never heard of this despite being in the UK. I’m guessing this went straight to VHS / DVD over here.

[@krs4976]

Nah it was in the cinema here . It was fairly well advertised as well.

[@hairywelder5188]

Saw it in odeon when I was unemployed

[@Horror_Film_Aficionado]

Split second was awesome. A gem

[@andrewgardner8972]

Rutger Hauer was like duke nukem, Michael Douglas’s characters in black rain and basic instinct, John Constantine from DC hellblazer, Peter Weller’s Alex Murphy/Robocop, Batman, Martin Riggs from lethal weapon, snake plissken from escape from New York, RJ Macready from the thing, Dutch from predator, Rick deckard from blade runner, the terminator, hellboy, mad max, green goblin and doc ock from spider man all rolled into one.

[@Screwcharger85]

One of my guilty pleasure films ! I saw this flick on showtime back in the 90’s and glad I hunted down two great blu ray dvds 📀 of Split Second. Now I’m gonna have some coffee ☕️ and chocolate 🍫!

[@musk3644]

Growing up I always felt the monster was Venom loool

[@gregbors8364]

All those Alien rip-offs will be lost in time… like tears in the rain 😢

[@cursedmonkey1033]

Anxiety, coffee and chocolate sounds familiar. I remember going to see Blind Fury.

[@countgeekula9143]

Saw it at the cinema back in 1992. Great stuff!

[@Bluboy30]

I first saw this film when I was in 7th or 8th grade and loved it. I didn't see it again until I bought the latest Blu-ray that came out in 2020 and still enjoyed it.

[@matti.3607]

I grew up with HBO and never saw this pop up before. I watched on average 16hrs of tv so, I know i didn't miss it.

[@stepheneddington1667]

I can see how it has elements of the Predator movies, but nothing about it to me says it did or was trying to rip off Alien. I love this film and watch it every chance I get. The grenade launcher line gets me every single time 🤣

[@krs4976]

Alien rip off? I wouldnt say that. I've always really enjoyed Split Second great film,Rutger is fantastic as always. I really like the design of the demon monster thing I still remember 1st time I saw it in Fangoria

[@andrewgardner8972]

Also Harrison Ford was considered to play Harley stone which went to Rutger Hauer ironically because Gary Scott Thompson loved blade runner and had Ford in mind because the character was like Rick Deckard in a way. But Rutger Hauer liked the script and wanted to do it and Thompson was happy that Hauer was cast because to me, Rutger Hauer was just as good as Harrison Ford.

[@beece16]

Loved it and it had one of my fav lines. The captain gets mad at Rutger and tells him he can't survive on caffeine and chocolate. Whilst I watched drinking my 6 cup espresso eating tootsie rolls,very wrong captain.

[@victornmonteiro]

This movie is great. I have a special place in my shelf for this movie, Nemesis and Dead Heat. Only those great B productions.

[@jamesmorant1406]

Love Rutger Hauer he can play good guys and bad guys

[@antjones2281]

Hey, that's the guy from the Observer Games!

[@0utJ4nd3r]

About dogs and chocolate: my dog ate a whole bag of oreos and I called the vet frantic. At 70#, my lab-pit mix was at worst subject to the squirts: that bag had to be a solid hunk of cacao to harm him more. That's what I was told, and 8 years on he's fine. So, if Hauers character knew that, it's still the endearing dog moment it was meant to be.

[@sonofacheron]

“Drs don’t know shit” 😆

[@PazuzuStalker]

The first intense movie i saw on the theater with just my friends. Spontaneous, we saw the poster hopped in and it was just us three in there. We loved it. Such a great scifi satanic vibe to it. Remember the final battle was a bit anticlimactic but we were very excited.

[@fredricclack7137]

Fav #1 Rutger- Omega Doom; 🦯 Fury; 🦴 Daddy; Hobo w/a Shotgun, etc...😊

[@TheRighttoArmBears2022]

Rutger Hauer was incredible in the Hitcher.

[@CaptainReynolds-flyinspace]

Saw it last year. And its amazing. It have much more than you expect from low budget movie. It have good character development, interesting setting and monster. Production design looks good. And this is examlple of the movie that dont looks cheap. We all starting to lower the bar of expecyations when even hear term a "low budgert". But this is not the same digital crap, that we have now days. It atmospheric, and worth every minute. And posters for the movie cool as hell😊

[@DaiShiHU]

Ah, takes me back to the days when Hungarian dubs were world class, and I was in elementary school with all the time in the world to watch movies .... Let's just say the swearing in the Hungarian dubbed version left deep impression on my young mind. I still use some of the phrases I learned from this movie. :D And ofc. the movie itself was awesome ... I watched my uncle's VHS tape to ribbons.

[@DarkVeghetta]

Hauer was a great actor, but he needed anti-hero roles to actually play the main character properly, otherwise he comes off as too intense. Plus, normal dialogue doesn't quite suit his theatrical bent; he did his best work in roles that had a flair for the dramatic and limited voice lines. I think he would have done an amazing job playing the Punisher, if given the opportunity during his prime.

[@V3ntilator]

I watched it on release. I watched all new Hauer movies back then on release.

[@WolfoftheWoodsAirsoft]

I actually saw this in the cinema in Glasgow when it was released. I then watched it again on video as it was so damn funny. His sidekick in this was a veteran of Taggart from Scottish television. Oh it's just a hoot of a film.

[@GoldenMinotaur]

Weird, I almost watched this last night haha

[@FutureReverberations]

Jokes on you buddy. I have seen it! Also... we need bigger guns!

[@darkwolf9253]

I did see it, thank you very much. I even saw it in the theater.

[@etsuplayground9242]

I watched this movie in VHS when I was really young. I wasn't used to the British accent so for me that was a bit too much, but I think I could watch it again, just to see it with fresh eyes. I always remember the big bad rats in this movie. NOTE: What do you mean the first Blade is the best Blade!? You lost me there. I didn't see Ron Perlman in the first one, mister. xD

[@hawkeyepierce67]

Rutger Hauer at his best! Don't know how RH fared in the US, but i can assure you that during the late 80's and early 90's he's been a big number here in germany when it came to action heros! As far as i can remember, my buddies and me - all beeing in our early to late 20's back than - greatly enjoyed watching the movies he stared in. And that "F*ck the bonus" scene you've showed - with Gene Simmons sucking hard on an american pineapple - was - and still is - one of the coolest "bad guy kills" i've ever seen! Easily on par with Sly, Arnold, Chuck, Mel and all the other "Big Screen Heros" of these times ;).

[@justinhollen]

Such a fun flick!!!

[@dannyanzion3647]

Saw it, have it on bluray. Great schlock.

[@DarkCylon]

"Sexy Cattral" Uh, I guess it's different strokes for different folks.

[@doomlordkaka]

i love this movie, its criminally underrated.

[@eugenemontalto976]

This movie is alright. I felt like there were too many quick cuts. You couldn't focus on anything. Also, they didn't really show the creature. It's been a while since I watched it. I would definitely give it a rewatch. Wanted dead or alive is underrated, one of my favorites of his.