Jeopardy

The Stilwins drive across the border into a desolate stretch of Baja California for a family vacation at a remote fishing spot. They settle on the quiet coast, hoping for a peaceful escape that contrasts with their everyday life. The mood is hopeful as Bobby looks forward to the trip with his parents.

Bobby wanders out onto a precarious, rotting pier high above the water while Doug keeps watch. His foot gets stuck in a crack between boards, and Doug frees him. They begin to head back, unaware of the danger lurking in the aging structure.

As they retreat, part of the wharf collapses and a wooden piling crashes down, trapping Doug's leg on the beach. The rising tide threatens to drown him while Bobby and Helen can only watch in horror. Doug realizes he has only a limited window to escape before the surf seals his fate.

With Doug pinned, he instructs Helen to fetch rope or help from a deserted gas station they had passed earlier. He warns there are only four hours before the rising surf drowns him. Helen hastily drives off to locate assistance.

On the road, Helen navigates a language barrier with local Mexicans and reaches the deserted gas station to retrieve rope. She prepares for the rescue mission, hoping to return quickly to the beach. Unknown to her, a dangerous presence awaits in her car.

A man named Lawson appears after Helen explains the predicament and climbs into the car. Hidden out of her sight is a dead man in the back seat, signaling that Lawson is not there to help and is, in fact, a dangerous escaped convict. He immediately asserts control over the situation.

Lawson finds Doug's pistol in the glove compartment and uses it to intimidate Helen. He implies he will not cooperate unless she plays along with his plan, tightening his hold on the already desperate situation.

A fishing boat passes offshore, but the crew misreads them as mere tourists and sails away. Doug and Bobby's shouts for help go unheard, sealing their sense of isolation on the coast.

Lawson drives through a police roadblock and eventually blows out a tire. While he changes the tire, Helen tries to strike him, but he remains vigilant. Another police car pursues, but Lawson flips it off the road to escape, escalating the danger.

Lawson hides in an abandoned house to wait for the police to pass. Helen pleads with him, offering to do anything to save Doug, and he contemplates the risk of losing everything if he stays in contact with them.

Back at the beach, Lawson devises a final plan and uses a plank to wedge the piling off Doug, freeing him from the trap. The risky maneuver succeeds, and Doug is saved from a near-drowning nightmarish fate.

Lawson chooses to go on alone, noticing a flat tire on the car and the approaching sirens. Helen decides not to reveal Lawson's involvement to the authorities, silently acknowledging the danger he posed. The family survives the ordeal, but Lawson slips away into the darkness.