BREAKDOWN (1997)

Directed by Jonathan Mostow of Terminator 3 fame, Breakdown is a tight thriller with a simple story and a high-speed pace. The film follows Jeff and Amy Taylor (played by Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan) as they travel, cross-country, to their new home. However, their Jeep breaks down and Amy hitches a ride to the next town. When Jeff arrives, Amy is nowhere to be seen, leading Jeff to believe she has been kidnapped.

What follows is a superbly enjoyable, and often suspenseful, romp - Russell plays the ‘ordinary guy’ rather well and some of the nicer touches of this film are those that highlight this out-of-depthness. During the action, Jeff’s struggling to understand a pistol is noted and his idiotic decision - although it eventually helps him - to drive down a huge slope, without so much as a pause for thought, almost costs him his life. Russell isn’t the only actor on top form, with J.T Walsh oozing villainy as the main slimeball antagonist and M.C Gainey offering a memorable turn as a violence-loving goon. Quinlan, on the other hand, clicks with Russell in the early scenes and the two portray a convincing husband and wife duo, but her role dissolves into that of the helpless damsel in distress. Even in the final skirmish, Jeff is seen ushering a helpless Amy along while he holds two guns to defend them both.

The final skirmish itself is a great set piece of action, starting as a standoff in the antagonist’s home before developing into a four-way car (and truck) chase along the highway. Where Breakdown could’ve fallen flat in the final hurdle, it instead picks up the pace and doesn’t let go of the throttle until the credits begin to roll. A hidden gem that revels in its suspense, delivers on its action and showcases the acting talent that is Kurt Russell. Score: 72/100