Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- paranoid
- disturbing
- late night horror viewing
- cult film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an uneven, often cheesy psychological horror piece, though some praised Oliver Stone's tightly controlled screenplay and Michael Caine's performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jon Lansdale's missing right hand returns on its own and stalks people who anger him.
Jon's breakdown and the hand's murderous behavior blur psychological disturbance with supernatural agency.
Jon is a comic book artist, and the film connects his artistic imagination to the hand's uncanny violence.
The film's severed-hand premise, Michael Caine performance, and later cult following distinguish it from conventional thrillers.
Films like The Hand, and why
The Beast with Five Fingers
supernatural psychological horror centered on a detached body part and escalating murder
In the Mouth of Madness
psychological breakdown, bodily menace, and surreal horror disturbing an artist's reality
Repulsion
intimate psychological horror involving identity fracture, paranoia, and violent compulsions
The Brood
stylized body horror and a physically transformed protagonist confronting murderous impulses
Movie Details
- Director
- Oliver Stone
- Release Date
- 1981-04-24
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (175)
Cast
- Michael Caine
- Andrea Marcovicci
- Annie McEnroe
- Bruce McGill
- Viveca Lindfors
- Rosemary Murphy
- Mara Hobel
- Pat Corley
- Nicholas Hormann
- Edward Marshall
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Hand about?
- After a comic book artist loses his hand in a crash, the missing limb returns as an uncanny killer tied to his unraveling mind.
- What is The Hand like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Hand as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Hand violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Hand as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Hand?
- Critics broadly found the film an uneven, often cheesy psychological horror piece, though some praised Oliver Stone's tightly controlled screenplay and Michael Caine's performance.
- Which films are like The Hand?
- Films with a similar feel include The Beast with Five Fingers, In the Mouth of Madness, Repulsion, and The Brood.
- How long is The Hand?
- The Hand runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Hand?
- In United States, The Hand is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
