Rumpelstiltskin

In 15th-century Europe, a mob pursues a deformed man, Rumpelstiltskin, after he abducts a baby. A gypsy witch transforms him into a stone effigy and imprisons him for a thousand years, with release only if a heartfelt wish involving a child is spoken.

In present-day Los Angeles, police officer Russell Stewart is gunned down during a botched carjacking, leaving Shelly widowed and pregnant. The tragedy drives Shelly toward a glimmer of hope found in an ancient stone with rumored powers.

Shelly, her newborn Johnny, and her friend Hildy visit Matilda's Place, an antique witch shop that now possesses the stone. Against Matilda's warning, Shelly buys the talisman, drawn by tales of its wish-granting powers.

Back home, Shelly wishes for her deceased husband to meet their son, inadvertently fulfilling the stone's condition and releasing Rumpelstiltskin into the world. The wish opens the doorway for the imp to claim a future victim, Johnny.

Rumpelstiltskin appears, returning as Russell in Shelly's dream and then materializing to demand Johnny as payment for fulfilling the wish. Shelly and Johnny narrowly escape, while baffled authorities look on.

Rumpelstiltskin pursues the trio, killing Hildy as Shelly and Johnny flee by car. They push into increasingly dangerous terrain, escalating the pursuit toward Bakersfield.

Shelly flags down Max Bergman, a chauvinistic TV host who reluctantly helps them travel forward. A long, chaotic chase ensues through windy terrain until Max uses a dune buggy to derail Rumpelstiltskin, sending him off a hillside into a tree and triggering a fiery tanker explosion.

The imp survives the explosion and murders a deputy during the ensuing pursuit. Shelly, Max and Johnny hide in an abandoned diner while authorities investigate, as Rumpelstiltskin continues to hunt them.

Shelly realizes the stone is the source of the danger, and summons Matilda for help. Rumpelstiltskin infiltrates the station, kills several officers, and kidnaps Johnny, forcing Shelly and Max to flee.

Matilda explains that a graveyard ritual using fire, straw, and a chant spoken three times can trap Rumpelstiltskin, but she is killed by the imp just before the ritual. The plan to stop him is set in motion.

Shelly and Max locate a graveyard and race to set up the ritual. They move to a barn to marshal tractor power, stacked straw, and flames to confront the imp before sunrise.

Max drives the burning straw-loaded tractor toward Rumpelstiltskin, capturing him in the loader as it collides with a power line and explodes. Shelly calls out the imp's name thrice, binding him back into the stone effigy.

Johnny is found unharmed in a nearby grave, and Max throws the stone figurine into a creek to ensure it cannot be easily used again. The trio departs together, with Shelly entering into what appears to be a new relationship with Max.

Three years later, a young girl discovers the returned stone figurine and rushes to show her mother, who now holds an infant. The cycle hints that the stone's curse may extend to another generation.