Route 666 (2001)

A federal witness runs away and a team of government agents track him down, but when they take a shortcut on the return trip, they're attacked by zombies.

Director:

William Wesley

Writers:

Scott Fivelson, Thomas Weber

Stars:

Lou Diamond Phillips, Lori Petty, Steven Williams

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Jack La Roca
Lori Petty	...	Steph
Steven Williams	...	Rabbit aka Fred
L.Q. Jones	...	Sheriff Bob Conaway
Dale Midkiff	...	P.T.
Alex McArthur	...	Nick
Mercedes Colon	...	Mary
Rob Roy Fitzgerald	...	Joe
Adam Vernier	...	Deputy Gil Conaway
Chester E. Tripp III	...	Deputy Tim Conaway
Rhino Michaels	...	John La Roca
Gary Roberts	...	Pickaxe aka Miles Hackman
Peewee Piemonte	...	Jackhammer aka Steve Pikowski
Michael Chance	...	Sledgehammer aka Frank Slater
Dick Miller	...	Bartender

Storyline

Smith, a mob informer hiding out with the Witness Protection Program, decides to make a break for it and hide out in the Arizona desert. The Feds catch up with him and rescue him just before a group of hitmen can manage to silence him for good. In the course of getting Smith away from the mafia thugs, the pair of agents assigned to protect him turn onto an abandoned stretch of highway nicknamed 'Route 666' after the mysterious death of a prison chain gang. As the three continue on their way, they soon discover just what happened to the chain gang, and how the highway earned its name.

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Plot Keywords:

vietnam war veteran | supernatural power | psychotronic film | highway | chain gang | 

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Taglines:

One Way In, No Way Out

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Genres:

Action | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 October 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ruta 666

Filming Locations:

Joshua Tree, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,300,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lions Gate Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In New Jersey, there used to be a Morris County Route 666 that ran from Dover to Mount Hope, but the signs were constantly being stolen and the number was changed to 661.

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Goofs

The jackhammer used by the convicts in 1967 is a battery powered type. In '67 the only type of jackhammer was a pneumatic requiring a large trailer type air compressor and a bull hose connecting the two.

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Quotes

Jack: [while pointing a gun to the back of the cop's head] And remember, I have no compunction at all about shooting you in the back.

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Alternate Versions

German version was supposed to be released uncut with a JK/SPIO certificate but the commision denied it. So the film was edited for violence to be released at all and the cut version was released with a "Not under 18" rating.

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Connections

References The X-Files (1993)

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Soundtracks

Blue Moon Blue
Performed by Neil Mooney
Written by Neil Mooney
Courtesy of 4music
Published by Kingtone Music (BMI)

User Reviews

fun old-fashioned B horror movie

ROUTE 666 isn't really a horror movie, though that's probably where you'll find it in the video story. Like TREMORS, ROUTE 666 is more of an old-fashioned B movie, the kind of film you'd see as the second feature at a 50s drive-in back. The plot is pretty basic: federal marshals transporting a key witness to testify in Los Angeles are stranded on a closed strip of Route 66 - known as Route 666 - and are besieged by the ghosts of four chain gang workers who were killed years before.

Lou Diamond Phillips is good, and Steven Williams manages to show some comedic skills with some funny dialogue and reactions. His frantic screaming for help after nearly being killed by one of the ghosts at an abandoned drive-in is particularly hilarious. He definitely has the best part of the film. Lori Petty isn't great, but at least she's not as bad as she can usually be, and Dale Midkiff is good, but the rest are pretty much unknowns in typical supporting roles. Veteran character L.Q. Jones plays the local sheriff with a secret.

The movie moves at a brisk pace, never dwelling on the quiet moments too long, and bringing some gritty, jittery camerawork to the action scenes, similar to the style of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Okay, ROUTE 666 is no PRIVATE RYAN, but it's not supposed to be. It's a well-crafted little suspense movie with some cool-looking zombie/ghosts, a good dose of comedy, lots of action, and a cool soundtrack that perfectly captures the feeling and bleakness of the landscape. I will definitely buy this one on DVD, but it would have been great to have a director commentary.