Synopsis

While driving across the Southwest to begin a new life in California, Jeff and Amy Taylor become stranded when their Jeep mysteriously fails. Amy accepts a lift from a passing trucker, but disappears before Jeff reaches the roadside diner. As local residents and authorities offer little help, Jeff's search exposes a criminal conspiracy and forces him into a desperate fight for survival.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released by Paramount Pictures on May 2, 1997, the film runs approximately 95 minutes and was rated R.

• The production was a collaboration between the Dino De Laurentiis Company and Spelling Films, with Paramount handling distribution.

• Filming took place between April and June 1996 in locations including Sacramento and Victorville, California, Pyramid Lake, and Moab, Utah. The remote settings give the film much of its stark, isolated atmosphere.

• Basil Poledouris composed the score, which combines tense orchestral writing with the wide-open feel of a modern Western.

• The film was built around the idea of an ordinary man being pushed into extreme action, rather than an already-trained action hero. That choice makes Jeff's gradual transformation central to the suspense.

• The use of desert highways, heavy trucks, and a seemingly helpful driver recalls the tradition of road thrillers, particularly films that turn everyday travel into a threat.

• Breakdown was the final film featuring J.T. Walsh to be released during his lifetime. Walsh died in February 1998.