A seasoned lawman tracking down cattle rustlers stumbles into a deadly smuggling ring deep in rural America. Stranded without a truck or cell service in the middle of nowhere, he must rely on grit and resilience to face a dangerous gang before they escape to the border and justice slips away.
Thieves Highway is a 2025 American action-thriller directed by Jesse V. Johnson and written by Travis Mills with story contributions from J.D. Pepper. The film stars Aaron Eckhart as Frank Bennett, a tough Oklahoma Department of Agriculture lawman who finds himself battling ruthless rustlers after a confrontation over stolen livestock turns violent. Set against the backdrop of open plains and isolated backroads, the narrative follows Bennett’s search for a massive smuggling operation when he’s cut off from help and left without transportation. Hunted by a deranged ex-military commander and his gang of criminals, Frank must improvise and endure through hostile terrain to stop the criminals before they flee the region. The supporting cast includes Devon Sawa, Lochlyn Munro, Brooke Langton, Lucy Martin, Michael Shamus Wiles, and others, adding depth and tension to the rugged action. The film had a limited theatrical release on December 12, 2025, in the United States, followed by digital and video-on-demand availability from December 16, 2025. With a lean runtime of about 83 minutes, Thieves Highway blends modern Western themes and survival thriller beats, appealing to viewers who enjoy tough, compact action cinema with a classic edge.
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Fun Facts
Thieves Highway marked Aaron Eckhart's second collaboration with director Jesse V. Johnson after Chief of Station, with Eckhart portraying Oklahoma stock detective Frank Bennett facing modern cattle rustlers in a lean 83-minute neo-Western shot on a tight $4 million budget
Johnson's stuntman background shines in the stranded lawman vs. ex-military gang climax, featuring practical vehicle wrecks and no cell service isolation; Lochlyn Munro and Brooke Langton co-star as desperate smugglers, with composer Sean Murray delivering a tense Western score.
Devon Sawa appears uncredited as "Jones" driving the red truck in key chase sequences, a deliberate stuntman nod from Johnson—who cast his longtime collaborator Bren Foster—highlighting the film's gritty, practical action filmed across remote American plains mimicking Breaking Bad's criminal underbelly