# Route 666 (film)

Route 666 is a 2001 action horror film directed by William Wesley and starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Lori Petty, Steven Williams, L.Q. Jones, Dale Midkiff, Alex McArthur, and Mercedes Colon. In the film, government agents are besieged by the ghosts of a massacred chain gang while driving down a desert highway.

## Plot

At a bar in Arizona, Fred "Rabbit" Smith is handcuffed by Jack La Roca and Stephanie. Jack and Steph are Federal Marshals assigned to capture Rabbit and bring him to Los Angeles to testify against a mobster named Benny "The Buzzsaw" Buffalino, who is partners with the Russian Mafia. Rabbit is also being hunted by Russian hitmen contracted by Benny and led by Sergei. Jack calls for a Suburban driven by four other marshals to pick them up before Sergei and his crew arrive. Rabbit and the marshals battle the assassins until marshals Nick, Mary, P.T., and Joe arrive and kill all of the assassins but Sergei. Jack shoots Sergei's tires out before Rabbit and the marshalls leave.
P.T. complains to Stephanie about Jack, believing he is not trustworthy. Jack tries to find the roads they are using on the map, but Rabbit says the back roads are unmapped except for in his old guidebook. He reads that a second highway, U.S. Route 666, exists next to Route 66, leading more quickly to the California border. Route 666 was condemned after a prison road crew accident. Hearing the story, Jack has flashbacks of four prisoners digging a hole surrounded by law enforcement.
Sergei shoots a tourist and takes his Jeep. The marshals reach a deserted tourist attraction bordering Route 666 and see a restricted access sign. As Jack debates using the road, he experiences more flashbacks and tells Stephanie that he was born nearby and his mother died when he was six; he hardly knew his father.
A county sheriff's deputy, Gil, sees the marshalls go down Route 666 and requests backup. His father, Sheriff Conaway, tells him to leave the road, but Gil pulls the two vehicles over. Jack and P.T. confront him, and Gil tells them the road is restricted. Jack shows his badge, and he leaves. Rabbit and the marshalls spot a cemetery. Jack and Stephanie explore the graveyard, finding Jack's father, John La Roca's grave. P.T. sees the grave along with three others: Miles Hackman, Frank Slater, and Steven Pikowski. P.T. explains that all but John La Roca were infamous murderers from the 1960s. La Roca was a bank robber who quit robbing after getting married and having Jack. La Roca later tried to rob a bank for his family, but was caught and thrown in the same prison as Hackman, Slater, and Pikowski.
P.T. and Jack start to fight. Mary and Nick leave Joe to watch Rabbit while they go into the Suburban and have sex. Sergei appears and fires at Joe and Rabbit with a silenced gun. Joe stabs Sergei and takes his gun. Sergei's blood attracts the undead corpses of Slater, La Roca, Pikowski, and Hackman, who kill Joe. The marshalls flee while Jack stays behind to slow the zombies. He uses the stolen Jeep to escape, but crashes.
Jack wakes up in a cave. A native explains that he brought him here. He tells Jack that he must restore peace to the cursed road before Jackleaves.
Nick falls asleep in the Suburban and is killed by Slater. Slater travels along the road until he sees the two vehicles with their tires melted at a ruined drive-in theatre and reunites with the rest of the group.
The group goes to check in on Nick while Rabbit stays handcuffed to a pole. Pikowski attacks him, but Rabbit escapes, catching up with the others. Rabbit realizes that the zombies can only travel on the road and concrete/cement and appear from underground. Jack spots a telephone booth and dials 911, connecting with Sheriff Conaway. Jack gives him the number of the Los Angeles Marshal’s office and tells him to request backup.
Four hours later, Jack has another flashback and sees his father, Slater, Hackman, and Pikowski working on a road. Hackman pulls out a knife and attempts to escape while John tries to stay away from the trouble. The escape fails, and the unseen police officer in charge makes them dig a hole. In the present, Sheriff Conaway and his deputies, Tim and Gill, approach. Jack and Rabbit go to the bathroom stall while Conaway and his officers hold the others at gunpoint. Conaway demands to know where Jack is, only to hear that Jack is dead. Conaway shoots Mary in order to make P.T. tell them that Jack and Rabbit are in the stall. Tim and Gil grab Rabbit, wearing Jack's badge. Jack captures Gil.
They drive further away before Jack handcuffs Gil to the truck and breaks his nose. Gil begs Jack not to stay on the road, stating the zombies kill them. The four zombies rise and kill Gil. Jack returns to the others. Conaway goes to the truck, thinking Gil is in it, and P.T. fights Tim who shoots P.T. in the stomach before Rabbit shoots Tim, killing him. Jack restrains Conaway to the SUV.
Conaway explains that the zombbies travel under the road and are awakened by spilled blood. Jack has a final flashback. The previously unseen officer is Sheriff Conaway. Though La Roca did not assist in the attempted escape, he is thrown into the hole dug by the others. Conaway and his men shoot the convicts in their legs,trapping them in the hole. Conaway starts a steam roller and buries the four men alive. After Conaway and his thugs learn about the zombies' return, they kill anyone who sets foot on the road to cover up their crimes.
Jack assaults Conaway, who begs him not to be in the road. The zombies arrive and pin Jack down. Conaway tries to enter the SUV, but Rabbit knocks him out. Jack tetlls John that he is his son. John turns on the other zombies, killing them.
John gives Jack his dog tag before crossing into Heaven, lifting the curse on Route 666. Conaway emerges from the SUV and tries to shoot the others, but Jack, Steph, and Rabbit shoot and kill him.

## Cast

* Lou Diamond Phillips as Deputy U.S. Marshal Jack La Roca
* Lori Petty as Deputy U.S. Marshal Stephanie "Steph"
* Dale Midkiff as Deputy U.S. Marshal P.T.
* Alex McArthur as Deputy U.S. Marshal Nick
* Mercedes Colon as Deputy U.S. Marshal Mary
* Rob Roy Fitzgerald as Deputy U.S. Marshal Joe
* Steven Williams as Fred "Rabbit" Smith
* L.Q. Jones as Sheriff Bob Conaway
* Adam Vernier as Deputy Gil Conaway
* Chester E. Tripp as Deputy Tim Conaway
* Dick Miller as The Bartender
* Gary Farmer as Shaman
* Anne Lockhart as The Radio Dispatcher
* Rhino Michaels as John La Roca
* Gary Roberts as Steven "Pickaxe" Pikowski
* Peewee Piemonte as Miles "Jackhammer" Hackman
* Michael Chance as Frank "Sledgehammer" Slater
* Sven-Ole Thorsen as Sergei, Russian Hitman
* Michael R. Long as Hitman #1
* John Cade as Hitman #2
* Chuck Hicks as Prison Guard #1
* Stephen R. Hudis as Prison Guard #2
* Nick Plantico as Jeep Victim (uncredited)

## Soundtrack

The film soundtrack included the track "I'm Walkin'" performed by Lightnin' Willie & the Poorboys.