The Rundown

Beck, an ambitious chef currently working as a debt collector for the notorious loan shark and bookie Billy Walker, finds himself embroiled in a dangerous mission. His task? To retrieve a championship ring from a football player at a nightclub. After a confrontation with one of Billy’s other enforcers, Beck grows tired of the grim life he leads. He expresses his desire to quit, but Billy persuades him to take on one last job: rescuing Billy’s son, Travis, from a small mining town in Brazil. In return, Beck will receive enough money to fulfill his dream of opening a restaurant.

Upon landing in the town of El Dorado, Beck crosses paths with the town’s powerful mining operator, Cornelius Hatcher. Initially, Cornelius grants Beck permission to return Travis home, but his approval dissipates when he learns that Travis has unearthed a long-lost golden artifact dubbed O Gato do Diablo (the Devil’s Cat). Beck must confront Cornelius and his gang in a local bar, successfully fending them off and making off with Travis. However, their escape takes a twist when Travis steers their Jeep into the thick jungle, leading to an encounter with local rebels.

In an unexpected turn, Travis convinces the rebels that Beck is a formidable threat sent by Cornelius. However, during a fierce skirmish, the rebel leader, Mariana, whom Beck had previously met at the bar, intervenes. Mariana desires the Gato so the locals can liberate themselves from Cornelius’s grip, but chaos erupts when Cornelius and his men assault the rebel camp, resulting in heavy casualties. Beck, Travis, and Mariana narrowly escape, with Beck striking a deal: they can retrieve the Gato, and in return, Mariana will help get Travis back to the airfield.

Their search leads them to a cave hidden behind a magnificent waterfall, where they finally find the Gato. On their journey back, Mariana chastises Travis for wanting to sell the artifact, but he insists his intention is to donate it to a museum. In a twist of fate, she gifts Beck and Travis a toxic fruit that paralyzes them temporarily, allowing her to leave them with a campfire for protection while she escapes. After regaining movement, Beck rushes Travis to the airfield, only to learn from local pilot Declan that Mariana has been captured by Cornelius and is likely facing death. Moved by determination, Travis implores Beck to save her, prompting their return to town.

Using a daring cow stampede as cover, Beck and Travis launch their rescue operation against Cornelius’s men. Amid the chaos, Travis finds himself trapped in a bus engulfed in gunfire, but Beck heroically saves him just before the bus explodes. In a frantic confrontation, Cornelius orders his brother Harvey to flee with Mariana and the Gato, but Travis bravely intervenes. An intense showdown unfolds between Cornelius and Beck, where Beck offers Cornelius a chance to escape the town—a chance that he ultimately rejects. In the end, after being shot by agitated townspeople, Cornelius succumbs to his injuries, paving the way for Travis to hand over the Gato to Mariana before leaving with Beck. Despite the bond they’ve forged through adversity, Beck remains resolute in his duty to return Travis safely to the United States.

Once back in Los Angeles, Beck delivers Travis to Billy, who is both verbally and physically abusive. Intent on retaliation, Beck orchestrates a deceptive celebration, administering the same toxic fruit used earlier. As Billy and his associates succumb to paralysis, Beck seizes the moment to free Travis, and the duo escapes together, leaving their tumultuous journey behind.

Last Updated: November 16, 2024 at 11:56