Synopsis

During a routine flight, an Air Force pilot betrays his partner and releases two nuclear weapons over the Utah desert before faking his own death. After surviving the crash, the loyal pilot joins forces with a park ranger to recover the warheads and stop the rogue officer from using them to blackmail the U.S. government.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Broken Arrow" is a U.S. military term for an accident involving a nuclear weapon or its components. The film uses the phrase for a deliberate theft and attempted extortion.

• The screenplay came from Graham Yost, who had previously written Speed. Producer Mark Gordon was also involved with both projects.

• Principal photography took place from April 26 through August 28, 1995. Filming used locations around Lake Powell, Glen Canyon, Page, Arizona, the Mojave Desert, and Montana.

• The train climax was filmed on the Central Montana Rail line between Lewistown and Denton. Several elaborate and custom-built train cars were transported to Lewistown for the production.

• The film opened at number one in North America on February 9, 1996, earning approximately $15.6 million during its opening weekend. Its worldwide theatrical gross was about $150.3 million.

• Hans Zimmer's score became closely associated with high-energy action trailers and was later reused and imitated in other film marketing.