Vanishing Point (1997) - ripper car movies

A made-for-TV remake of the iconic 1971 film of the same name, Vanishing Point chronicles the cross-country adventures of ex-army ranger and NASCAR driver James ‘Jimmy’ Kowalski (Viggo Mortensen).

First published in the November 2025 issue of Street Machine

Jimmy, who shifts high-end cars for a living, decides to squeeze in one more job to earn some extra coin before his very pregnant wife, Raphinia (Christine Elise), is due to give birth. He’s tasked with delivering a ’71 Road Runner to New Mexico, but once he gets there, Jimmy’s mate and ex-crew chief, Mike (Geno Silva), offers him another job: driving a Hemi-powered 1970 Dodge Challenger to Utah.

Naturally, Jimmy is only too happy jump in the Dodge, and hits the road. But when he receives word that Raphinia is in hospital with complications, he flips out and puts the hammer down to get back home. Pulled over for speeding by an overzealous cop, Jimmy chooses to run the gauntlet and make a break for it.

With officers from multiple jurisdictions now hot on his heels, Jimmy’s plight piques the interest of a local DJ, ‘The Voice’ (Jason Priestly), an anti-establishment crusader who labels Jimmy a modern-day hero. His on-air ramblings generate public support for Jimmy and his crusade, and a motley crew of supporters are soon offering him help at various points along his journey.

However, Jimmy nearly meets his match at the hands of Sergeant Preston (Steve Railsback) in his ’68 Dodge Charger, who drops the immortal line, “It takes a Mopar to catch a Mopar.”

In the end, there is one final roadblock lying in wait for Jimmy and his trusty Hemi-powered steed, and only one option left if he wants to attain true freedom.

VERDICT: 4/5

While most armchair critics will tell you this remake of Vanishing Point doesn’t hold a candle to the 1971 classic, I’d beg to differ. The ’97 flick is far more action-packed – I swear the Challenger spends more time hanging sideways than it does in a straight line – yet it still respectfully pays homage to the original. It’s less gritty, sure, lacking the drug use and nudity of the ’71 film, but that just means the whole family can enjoy it. I’m certainly happy to watch either version of Vanishing Point whenever the mood strikes.

MORE Vanishing Point 1971 movie review

VEHICLES:

1970 Dodge Challenger
1968 Dodge Charger
1971 Plymouth Road Runner
1985 Ford Bronco
1990 Chevrolet Lumina
1976 Toyota LandCruiser
1982 Chevrolet Camaro
Caterpillar D9 bulldozer
1976 Yamaha DT250