Ruckus

Kyle Hanson, a Vietnam veteran, stops in a small Southern town to eat but is immediately taunted by local bullies. A violent confrontation with Homer ensues, forcing him to flee rather than face arrest. The encounter marks him as a dangerous outsider in the community.

After the confrontation, Kyle hides in the countryside and spends the night in a barn on Jenny Bellows' farm. Jenny, a young mother whose husband is missing in action, is initially wary of him but offers sympathy. Their fragile bond begins to form amid the town's hostility.

Sheriff Jethro Pough discovers that Kyle was once incarcerated in a military psychiatric hospital and was catatonic for over a year. This backstory complicates the town's view of him and fuels concern about his potential danger. The revelation influences the looming plan to drive him out.

Several townsmen, led by Deputy Dave, decide to hunt Kyle and eject him from the community. Their plan creates a sense of imminent threat and sets the stage for pursuit. Kyle, already cautious, remains one step ahead as the net tightens.

Kyle uses his Special Forces training to slip away from the pursuing townsmen and vanish into the surrounding woods. He relies on stealth and terrain to stay hidden while the search continues. The chase underscores his isolation and survival skills.

Kyle reteams with Jenny when they ride motorcycles together, and she invites him into her home to wash his clothes and bathe. The moment softens the tension between them, even as the town's fear of him persists. Their uneasy bond deepens amid practical care and wary trust.

In the morning, after Sam leaves on a business trip, Jenny is told by Sheriff Pough that her husband has been confirmed dead by the military. The devastating news adds personal stakes to the drama and shapes Jenny's decisions. Kyle's presence becomes a complicated lifeline in a time of loss.

Kyle accompanies Jenny and her son Bobby to the local fair for an evening of normalcy. Cece, a local farmer, spots Kyle with Jenny and informs Deputy Dave, triggering renewed pursuit. The carnival atmosphere quickly gives way to danger as Kyle's exile becomes public.

Cece and Deputy Dave abduct Kyle at the carnival and transport him to Homer’s farm, where he is imprisoned in a grain elevator. Kyle experiences PTSD flashbacks as he recalls his combat memories, heightening the sense of threat and desperation. The town closes in as the rescue seems unlikely.

The next morning, a large crowd gathers to torment Kyle. He defeats several attackers and then leaps from the grain elevator into the river to escape. The locals believe he is dead, but the river proves to be a hard place to end a man like him.

Pursued by multiple boats, Kyle dives underwater and hides beneath the surface. He then steals a boat and runs from his pursuers, initiating a tense river chase that continues through the day. His resourcefulness keeps him alive while the townspeople close in.

Back on the river, Kyle uses liquor bottles to fashion Molotov cocktails and destroys his attackers' boats, stranding them on a small island. Jenny, Sam, and Sheriff Pough reach the scene and join the confrontation, turning the tide in Kyle's favor. The river becomes both battleground and escape route.

On the island, Kyle camouflages himself with mud and uses traps and improvised weapons to terrorize his pursuers. Cece grows fearful of him, while Jenny, Sam, and Sheriff Pough move to end the stand-off. The attackers retreat, leaving Kyle in control of the island for the moment.

Sam, convinced by Jenny that Kyle is harmless, grants him sanctuary on the river island. Jenny watches Kyle with a softer hope, and he washes the mud from his body in the river. The town's fear gives way to reluctant acceptance of the outsider's stubborn survival.