Thieves Highway Review

BY Brian Orndorf

https://www.blu-ray.com/Thieves-Highway/2046723/#Review

In the realm of B-movies and bottom shelf entertainment, director Jesse V. Johnson is one of the better filmmakers out there today. That’s not to suggest his pictures are magic, but a few of them are passable, which puts him way ahead of the competition, showing some interest in providing livelier action and harder hits of character aggression, giving his offerings some bite. “Thieves Highway” is the latest endeavor from the prolific helmer, and he has an interesting idea to work with, as screenwriter Travis Mills (another person who cranks out projects) examines the world of cattle theft in Oklahoma, where livelihoods are destroyed by careless criminal types. It’s not exactly a topic that’s been covered in recent years, giving the feature a fingerprint, watching Johnson and Mills attempt to pull off a no-budget western featuring a determined lawman and the armed troublemakers he’s looking to capture. “Thieves Highway” isn’t sharp or stunningly crafted, but it delivers some mildly compelling screen activity as the characters go after one another during the short run time. 

In Oklahoma, Frank (Aaron Eckhart) is a livestock officer, investigating cases of cattle theft, with the area experiencing a rise in crime in recent years. The “cow cop” is a widower, recently reconnecting with his high school flame, Silvia (Brooke Langton), also learning that his partner, Bill (Lochlyn Munro), is set to quit, in need of a different job after learning his wife is pregnant. During a ride home after a shift, Frank senses something isn’t right about truck activity on the roads, following his instinct to a remote area where Jones (Devon Sawa) is overseeing cattle collection with his gang. Instead of calling for backup, Frank elects to shut down the operation on his own, and he’s quickly overwhelmed by the crooks, soon taking off to regroup after nearly losing his life. Trying to make his way back to town with help from driver Aksel (Tracy Curry) and diner server Peggy (Lucy Martin), Frank returns to action, beginning a hunt for Jones and his armed goons. 

Frank is a seasoned man of the law, fully aware that something is happening in the community, reminded of the dangers facing him when a fellow officer is ambushed during an investigation. Cattle rustling is big business, causing all kinds of trouble for ranchers, putting the main character in a difficult position of purpose as he remains one step behind the criminals. “Thieves Highway” launches with some degree of speed, providing an understanding of Frank’s weary heart and some fresh hope after running into Sylvia. There’s concern from Bill about his future, seeking a way out of his job. And town tensions are established as Frank spots a man in a red truck making trouble, on his way to an unknown destination.

“Thieves Highway” doesn’t show much more inspiration than the central crisis, which finds Frank unable to stop Jones and his men from taking another herd of cattle. Hard words turn into shots fired, putting Frank on the run, and Mills attempts to realize the excitement in such a retreat, finding a reason for the lawman to seek a second shot at stopping the crooks. Community interactions soon follow, as Frank looks for a ride from Aksel, an older man who initially refuses to aid the stranger, unsure what’s going on with the battered man. Frank also goes to Peggy for help finding a phone to call for backup, learning more about Jones’s plans to clean up the mess. Mills adds a few character turns along the way, and while surprises are limited, a few jolts are welcome, along with an escalation of violence as Frank and Jones cross paths a few more times.

Again, Johnson has no real budget here, filling “Thieves Highway” with simple shootouts and chases, even taking to a muddy creek to stage a fistfight. He’s using his location to the best of his abilities, and Mills tries to slip in some leathery language to best play up the cowboy way of the picture. The story is populated with grubby characters and bursts of violence, and performances are appropriately steely and screamy, finding Eckhart striving to remain Eastwood-ian for as long as possible. “Thieves Highway” never delivers nail-biting moments, but most of the feature is functional, especially for those who enjoy this type of quickie entertainment. And there’s a touch of toughness to appreciate when the material eventually runs out of ideas.