Highways aren’t just stretches of asphalt connecting places, or suitable terrains for car chases; they can also be powerful metaphors for life’s journey, with endless possibilities, detours, and surprising encounters along the way. Furthermore, directors and audiences alike have celebrated the big open road as a stage for some of the scariest, wildest, most romantic, and most nail-biting moments in film history.
In this article, we look at ten powerful examples of how highways becomemore than just a physical settingand become characters themselves, shaping their own stories and influencing the lives of our favorite protagonists. So, without further ado, let’s buckle up and hit the open road as we set out on a nostalgic trip through the best movies centered around highway settings.
10National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
National Lampoon’s Vacation(1983) follows the open road adventure of the Griswold family as they set out on a wild and hilarious cross-country adventure to the Walley World theme park in Los Angeles in their hideous yet somewhat charming 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire station wagon.
However, in his effort to create the perfect family vacation, father Clark (Chevy Chase) ends up putting his ever-impatient wife Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) and their two children, Audrey and Rusty, through a series of heart-pumping scenarios while he is constantly distracted by a stunning blonde (played by supermodel Christie Brinkley) in a red Ferrari. Nominated for a People’s Choice Award, to this day,National Lampoon’s Vacationremains one of America’s all-time favorite family movies. In fact, the film was so well received not just in the US but internationally that it sparked five sequels, the latest one beingVacation(2015), in which Rusty takes his own family on a road trip to the legendary “Walley World.”
9Joy Ride (2001)
Joy Rideis a 2001 John Dahl movie that takes you on a thrilling and ominous cross-country journey into the unknown, where terror lurks around every turn. In this shiver-inducing on-the-road movie, it’s not about developing deep character arcs; it’s about the spine-tingling ride. The story unfolds in the expansive landscapes of the American West, a setting that adds to the film’s eerie atmosphere. While it might remind you of Spielberg’s “Duel,” this one infuses the suspense with dark humor. The film’s noirish look and fun supporting characters bring a unique twist to the story, making it stand out from the usual genre fare.
It tells the story of college freshman Lewis’s cross-country road trip with his almost-girlfriend Venna, which takes a wild turn when he’s joined by his troublemaking brother Fuller. On a suggestion from Fuller, they buy a CB radio and play a prank on a trucker named ‘Rusty Nail’ during their journey to Venna’s. Little do they know, this harmless joke invites a nightmare into their lives. Asone of Paul Walker’s most underrated films,Joy Ridepromises to keep you on the edge of your seat with every unexpected twist and turn.
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8The Hitcher (2007)
Here, we have a Sean Bean movie that deserves way more credit than it initially received. Directed by Dave Meyers,The Hitcher(2007) is perhaps one of the rare exceptions to the rule of “The original is always better than the remake.” The modern version of the 1986 original, starring the great Rutger Hauer, retells the story of John Ryder (Sean Bean) as a hitchhiker who is offered a ride by an unsuspecting couple driving down the open road.
Little do they know that this seemingly innocent act of kindness will plunge them into a nightmare. As they share the road with their new passenger, the couple soon finds out the true nature of their companion—he’s a remorseless and extremely creative murderer. For those looking for an open-road nail-biter that features lots of jump scares, a strong amount of gore, and one of Sean Bean’s most brilliant performances, this one is definitely not to be missed.
7The Straight Story (1999)
In David Lynch’s most linear film,The Straight Story(1999), we are introduced to Alvin Straight, a 73-year-old man with a heart-filling and extraordinary journey ahead of him. Alvin is not licensed to drive a car due to his age and poor eyesight, which makes his chosen mode of transportation all the more unorthodox—a lawn mower with a small trailer hitched to it. His mission is to travel across a great distance to visit his ailing brother, who lives beyond the Mississippi River.
The film’s heart lies in Alvin’s encounters along the way. He meets many interesting people who extend their unreserved kindness and assistance to him. Along the way, Alvin also shares his wartime guilt with another old war hero, a cathartic moment that tells us about the weight of his past. One of the things that make this film special is how it conveys a decade of silence between two brothers without many words, using the road as a vehicle for storytelling. The cinematography captures the heart of America’s rural wonders,Angelo Badalamenti’s musical talentsset the mood perfectly, and the actors' performances (Richard Farnsworth and Sissy Spacek) are pure and capture the essence of what it means to be human.
6Wild at Heart (1990)
Wild at Heart(1990) marked David Lynch’s return to filmmaking after his controversial 1986 hit,Blue Velvet. Oftencompared to Oliver Stone’sNatural Born Killers(1994), the film generated significant buzz upon its release, but reactions were mixed, both at Cannes, where it won the Palme d’Or and among moviegoers. The story follows Sailor (Nicolas Cage) and Lula (Laura Dern), a passionate young couple on the run from Lula’s crazy mother, Marietta (Diane Ladd). Marietta is determined to eliminate Sailor and reclaim Lula. As the two progress through their journey, they also come across the most menacing character of all, Bobby Peru (Willem Dafoe), who is both a source of scares and humor.
Here, Cage and Dern deliver amazing performances, convincingly portraying the wild couple. Also, Diane Ladd’s performance earned her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. More than two decades later,Wild at Heartremains a noteworthy entry in Lynch’s filmography and one of the trippiest open-road movies of all time.
5Thelma & Louise (1991)
Ridley Scott’sThelma & Louise(1991) is sort of a 90s retelling of theBonnie and Clyde(1967) andButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid(1969) stories mixed into one. It all begins when Louise (Susan Sarandon) shoots a man who attempts to force himself on Thelma (Geena Davis), leaving them with no other choice but to become fugitives. Their initial plan to head to Mexico evolves into a highway adventure, where they get to taste freedom for the first time in their lives.
Thus, the action-packed trip becomes an unforgettable experience but slowly turns bitter as the cops start breathing down their necks.Thelma & Louiseremains a cinematic open-road classic with an evergreen story and outstanding performances by its female lead characters.
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4Natural Born Killers (1994)
An award-winning Oliver Stone picture,Natural Born Killers(1994) emerged as one of the most controversial films of the 1990s, igniting discussions about its impact on real-world violence. Some even claimed it inspired copycat murders, leading to a lawsuit against the filmmakers, which was eventually dismissed, as per The Guardian.
The film employs a stream-of-consciousness format, using quick edits, trippy visuals, and various out-of-the-box camera techniques. Stone’s use of animation, black-and-white cinematography, sitcom parodies, and television commercials also pushed the boundaries of traditional moviemaking, making it one of the cinematic marvels of its time. The script, based on a story by Quentin Tarantino, follows Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis) Knox, two wild youths scarred by their abusive pasts, who set out on a violent yet disturbingly romantic killing spree.
3Breakdown (1997)
InBreakdown(1997), a well-off Massachusetts couple faces a nightmare scenario when their new Jeep Cherokee breaks down on a remote Arizona highway. They accept the seemingly helpful offer of a trucker, who takes the wife to a nearby diner while her husband stays behind to safeguard the vehicle. However, when the husband discovers that there’s actually nothing wrong with the Jeep and his wife never reached the diner, he switches to panic mode. What makes the situation even crazier is that the trucker denies ever having picked her up.
In this Jonathan Mostow picture, Kurt Russell delivers a stellar performance as the husband on a tireless quest to find his missing wife, possibly abducted by locals in the unforgiving desert. Although highly underrated,Breakdownstands asone of Kurt Russell’s most powerful filmsand one of history’s greatest films centered around a highway setting.
2The Fast & Furious Films
As the most popular car racing franchise, TheFast & Furiousfilms offer viewers high-octane speed chases, state-of-the-art special effects, a star-loaded cast, and a suspenseful story to match. Spanning 11 movies and counting, theFast & Furiousuniverse features megastars including Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, The Rock, Jason Momoa, Charlize Theron, John Cena, and many more.
Apart from never-ending action and larger-than-life characters, the franchise is also known forits strong sense of family and loyalty. In combination, these elements create an experience that is unrivaled to date (theMad Maxmovies seem to come close), pushing the envelope of what blockbuster cinema can achieve.
1The Chase (1994)
The Chase, a 1994 action-comedy directed by Adam Rifkin, stars Charlie Sheen and Kristy Swanson. Shot in Houston, Texas, standing in for California, it centers on a wrongfully convicted man who resorts to kidnapping the daughter of a billionaire (the famous candy bar “gun” scene), which leads to a prolonged and extremely intense car chase with the cops and the media.
Notably, the film also features Ray Wise (the billionaire father), Henry Rollins and Josh Mostelin in supporting roles, as well as unmissable cameo appearances by Anthony Kiedis and Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers. In addition, it includes one of the most tear-inducing Suede songs of all time, namelyThe Next Life. Even thoughThe Chasehas not enjoyed the fame of many of the films on this list, it remains one of the most entertaining and rewatchable movies of Charlie Sheen’s career.
