Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Movie
Review: This was a very good movie. The only reason why I gave it 4 stars is because I think most of it was predictable. It also seemed that the beginning and end was very fast, and the middle was dragging. When I was watching it. I was really into it for about 30-45 mins. Then after that, it seemed to slow, And was thinking if I liked it or not. But the end pulled me back in. But overall, I recommend this movie to anyone who hasn't seen it. It has a very good plot and dessert setting. It just isn't that 5 star movie. But, a very good one.
Rating: 
Summary: NAIL BITING
Review: JT Walsh has to be the best bad guy ever in this movie. He masterfully underplays his role and is very scary and VERY belivable. Some of the scenes are truly nail biting (Russell underneath the 18 wheeler) and the direction is taut and tight. Buy this DVD for all these reasons and more.
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking action!
Review: The plot looks like "The Vanishing", with Kiefer Sutherland and Nancy Travis. However "Breakdown" goes to the adventure kind of film, instead of mystery. And this is its great quality. It is a surprising non-stop action movie. We kind konw what is going to happen, but it comes with a lotta unexpected electicity. Kurt Russell is well but just imagine if it was Harrison ford in his place - uau! Kathleen Quinlan has the ideal look for the desirable young wife, but she's not only the screaming victim - wait for the grand finale and you'll see what I mean!
Rating:
Summary: Great
Review: If you liked this movie, you should watch INTENSITY (written by Dean Koontz), NARROW MARGIN (Gene Hackman), and FARGO.
Rating:
Summary: An underated masterpiece.
Review: Road movies are a favourite type of movie for me and "Breakdown" just has to be one of my favourites. I just came across this in the shops and I took a look at it and from what I seen on the back cover it looked great. The story is all about Jeff and Amy (played by Kurt Russell who did a great job and Katherine Quninlan) and they are on their travels on the road. But their car suddenly runs out of gas. A truck passes by and stops, he offers to give Amy a lift and to take her to a restaurant and call for a to-truck. She accepts while Jeff stays to watch the car, but he soon finds out the problem with the car and heads for the restaurant, but when he gets there Amy or the truck driver are nowhere to be found, and a huge search is on, but it gets dangerous. Filled with lots of suspense and danger, with great performances all around. It comes to a brilliant climax, were there is a car chase on the highway, which ends on a bridge. A definate road movie for those lovers or Kurt fans.
Rating:
Summary: Kinetic and fast-paced, taut and suspenseful!
Review: "Breakdown" is a thriller about a couple whose car breaks down in the middle of the desert in the West. Out in the middle of nowhere, the wife hitches a ride with a truck driver, but never returns. Director Jonathon Mostow has certainly created a terrific little thriller here, infusing his scenes with genuine suspense, and a mystery surrounding the wife's disappearance that progresses very nicely. Under some very powerful performances from Kurt Russell and J.T. Walsh, this action film has a lot to offer. The movie begins with a near-accident between a Jeep and a pickup truck. In the Jeep are Jeff and Amy Taylor (Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan), a married couple moving from Massachusetts to San Diego, who are confronted by the man in the pickup when they stop at a gas station. Passing it off, they continue on their way, only to experience car trouble soon after. Luckily, a semi pulls up, offering them a ride. Amy goes, and Jeff stays behind to watch the car. When his wife does not come back, he finally realizes the car's malfunction (obviously not a mechanically inclined person), and makes his way to any place he can find, stopping at a small cafe to inquire about his wife's whereabouts; they know nothing. He catches up to Red Barr (J.T. Walsh), the man driving the semi, but Barr denies even knowing who he is as a cop searches the truck and finds nothing, no traceable evidence of Amy. So where is she? The movie keeps us at bay for quite a while, allowing Kurt Russell to give us some very dynamic acting as he plays out all of Jeff's inner collapses and states of confusion. Russell has always been good at playing the action hero, but here, he is the one being chased, the one being toyed with, and in this interesting turn of events, he pulls it off successfully, convincing us of his emotional drive to find his missing wife. J.T. Walsh is equally impressive as Warren (a.k.a. Red Barr), who, along with his road pals (including the man in the pickup from the beginning), have plans in store for Jeff, the pawn in their lethal game of chess. Walsh was gifted with one of those faces, those strong, stern faces that could cause mountains to crumble at a mere glance. Here, he is harsh and overbearing, fitting the role with an unsettling ease. As the mystery unfolds, the action begins. Russell is in even finer form during the film's second half, as he gets involved in a high-speed chase and must figure out a way to elude his pursuants. I'm going to do my best not to give away their intentions, which may come as a letdown to some, given the initial paths the story takes, but the commencing action and breath-holding finale are a tour de force of thrills, chases, and suspense-packed action. At the helm of this project is director Jonathon Mostow, who uses his photography to add to the intensity of the story. Here, he chooses to surround us with wide open spaces to convey to emptiness and vastness of the western terrain, adding to the overwhelming sense of dread that Jeff must be feeling in search of his wife. He also puts us right in the middle of some very intense car chases, and a scene involving Jeff making his way along the bottom of a moving truck is full of tension. If you are able to break down the mystery behind "Breakdown," you may be at a loss. But the movie does a pretty good job of keeping it hidden from a mainstream audience, and those in the mood for a story that keeps you waiting will find pleasure in its many exciting twists. The action is intense and involving (I almost cheered at the closing credits), and Mostow knows what he is doing, as do the cast members. I had a large smile on my face after this film, a smile of satisfaction that very few movies have ever put on my face.
Rating:
Summary: true blue nail-biter!
Review: A Massachusetts couple traveling across the country run afoul of modern day brigands and highwaymen in this excellent thriller. The film treads similar territory to "Red Rock West," featuring J.T. Walsh in one of his most menacing roles--and Kurt Russell isn't half bad either as the viewpoint character. In fact the only disappointing thing about the film is that Jonathan Mostow has not gone on to distinguish himself as an a-list director.
The plot rests on a "city folk" paranoia of rural places (aka "fly-over" country) and smells a little bit like "Deliverance," a little like the early Spielberg film "Duel." Throw in some psychological tension a la Hitchcock and a breathtaking climax worthy of John Woo, and you've got yourself one brilliant, unforgettable nail-biter. As a modern, top-notch suspense film that didn't get the attention it deserved, "Breakdown" is in the estimable company of similar films like "When Strangers Appear," "The Trigger Effect," & "Nick of Time"--if Hitch were alive today, he might be making films like this.
Rating:
Summary: a splendid little thriller
Review: This is a small film that packs a big punch, with a brilliant performance from Kurt Russell that holds our attention from start to finish.
There is a tense, ominous feeling from the start, as Russell and his wife, Kathleen Quinlan, end up stuck in the middle of nowhere, at the mercy of some menacing characters. The great J.T. Walsh plays the leader of the gang, with that perfect mixture of deviousness and cool evil he mastered in so many roles, and writer/director Jonathan Mostow has crafted a tight, well written script from his story, that though it has the occasional improbability, is plausible enough to be intelligent as well as edge-of-the-seat entertainment...because we know this kind of thing has happened to people...and it could happen to you !
Russell, as the helpless pawn of Walsh, is superb, and you see him becoming half-crazed, as he finds himself in a desert twilight zone, unable to get answers to his dilemma...the look in his eyes when Walsh tells him "time to get the show on the road" is a memorable moment in the film.
Quinlan looks stunning, with a natural sensuality that is a rare thing to see these days, and though her screen-time is relatively short, she is one of the ingredients that help make this film believable.
Beautiful cinematography by Doug Milstone of locations in California, Nevada and Utah, and a wonderful score Basil Poledouris add a lot to the film.
Strangely, knowing the ending doesn't diminish the tension of this film...it's a gem that doesn't lose its luster even after several viewings.
Total running time is 93 minutes.
Rating: 
Summary: Want to give it 5 except for a couple of beefs...
Review: Beef 1: the dvd menu is anamorphically presented, but the MOVIE IS NOT!!!!!!!!! WHAT is Paramount thinking??? Couldn't the moron in the telecine bay have flipped the switch????? Unbelievable!
Beef 2: a movie this great deserves some added materials, but there's none to be found. No commentary, nothing.
This is a GREAT suspense film, with great performances throughout. And awesome desert cinematography!
Rating:
Summary: Great Suspense Movie
Review: I loved this movie. It is an edge-of-your-seat thriller. Great suspense. Great acting. This could really happen to you. It's action-packed and very exciting. The time flies by when watching this movie. Terrific
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