Young Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) is crossing the Californian desert alone in his car. To stave off his boredom and sleepiness, he takes a hitch-hiker on board, John Ryder (Rutger Hauer), who turns out to be a strange and disturbing character. It's the beginning of a nightmare for Jim, who finds himself trapped in a game designed to push him to his very limits.