Detour

Detour

Year: 2013

Runtime: 87 min

Language: German

Director: William Dickerson

Thriller

Jackson Alder, a charismatic con artist, finds his life irrevocably changed when a massive mudslide traps him inside his vehicle. Stranded and facing dwindling hope of rescue, he’s forced to rely on more than just his charm to survive. As time runs out, he must confront his own limitations and battle the relentless power of the natural disaster unfolding around him.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Detour yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline & Setting – Detour (2013)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Detour (2013). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Present-day

The events occur in contemporary times, using modern gadgets, vehicles, and everyday items. The protagonist improvises with a credit card, tape, a belt, and a spare tire, indicating a modern, 21st-century setting. There is no indication of historical period or futuristic tech, grounding the narrative in the current era.

Location

The story unfolds around a modern setting where a vehicle is buried by a mudslide, with the city visible beyond the danger. The setting blends rugged terrain prone to mudslides with proximal urban scenery, suggesting a semi-rural area near an urban center. The environment shifts from claustrophobic confinement to potential rescue, underscored by the distant glow of the city skyline.

🏙️ City backdrop 🏔️ Mountainous outskirts 🏞️ Open terrain

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:55

Main Characters – Detour (2013)

Meet the key characters of Detour (2013), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Jackson Alder

A determined, resourceful individual who remains calm under extreme pressure. He improvises survival techniques, uses creativity and perseverance to calculate his depth underground, create air, and eventually escape through the sunroof. His resolve to survive drives the action as he endures physical pain and fear.

💪 Determined 🧠 Resourceful 🧯 Courage under pressure

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:55

Major Themes – Detour (2013)

Explore the central themes of Detour (2013), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧭 Survival

Jackson Alder demonstrates relentless resourcefulness as he searches for a way to escape. He repurposes items found inside the car to create air, measure depth, and fashion improvised tools. The narrative centers on human tenacity when physical safety is compromised, and every decision could be life-saving.

🧱 Isolation

Trapped inside a confined space, the character confronts claustrophobia and the mental strain of impending danger. The mud, the limited water, and the shrinking airspace intensify tension and force a turn inward toward focus, prayers, and self-reliance.

🔧 Ingenuity

The escape hinges on rapid, practical problem solving. The use of a sunroof, a pole, a makeshift smoke signal, and improvised devices illustrates how a person can convert limited resources into survival tools, showcasing practical creativity under pressure.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:55

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Thrillers about being trapped by nature like Detour

Films about people pitted against overwhelming natural forces in confined spaces.If you liked the high-stakes survival scenario in Detour, explore more movies like it. These films feature characters battling natural disasters and extreme environments while confined, creating a tense and desperate viewing experience focused on raw human endurance.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a linear, goal-oriented structure: a character or small group becomes unexpectedly trapped by a natural event. The narrative progresses through their sequential attempts to escape or endure, facing escalating physical and psychological challenges in a race against time.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared setting of confinement within a vast, hostile natural world. They deliver a consistent vibe of high-intensity tension and desperation, focusing on the visceral, moment-to-moment struggle for survival, often with a heavy emotional weight and a focus on human resilience.

Movies about a solitary survival ordeal like Detour

Stories focusing on the grueling mental and physical journey of a lone survivor.For viewers who appreciated the solo endurance journey in Detour, this list curates similar movies about one character's heavy physical and psychological struggle. These stories explore the limits of human will and the profound cost of survival when faced alone.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern is an intimate character study under duress. A solitary protagonist is pushed to their absolute limits by a sustained crisis. The story documents their deteriorating physical state, fluctuating hope, and internal monologue, leading to a climax that tests their spirit as much as their body, often resulting in a bittersweet or ambivalent victory.

Why These Movies?

These films are connected by their deep focus on a single character's harrowing experience. They share a heavy emotional weight, a steady pacing that mirrors the grueling passage of time, and a tone that blends tension with profound melancholy, creating a powerful and introspective viewing experience.

Unlock the Full Story of Detour

Don't stop at just watching — explore Detour in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Detour is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Detour Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Detour, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Detour Summary

Detour Timeline

Track the full timeline of Detour with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Detour Timeline

Detour Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Detour that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Detour Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Detour

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Detour: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Detour

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