I Call This an "ARRRRRGH!" Movie
I can't think of other examples right now...they are out there...but "Breakdown" is a perfect example of what I call an "ARRRRRGH!" movie.
"ARRRRGH!" is two things:
The gut-tightening suspense over how really evil, really cruel bad guys tie the hero in knots when they kidnap his wife, keep her "disappeared" from him and force him to do things; and how, when the hero has almost saved the day -- the son of the evil bad guy holds a gun on him. ARRRRGH!
AND
The raging satisfaction of revenge as Russell turns the tables, like when he smashes the big guy's face against the steering wheel again and again, when he out-races pursuing cars to their crashes and...most satisfyingly..when he finally defeats the most evil bad guy of them all, to the man's death.
ARRRRRRRGH!
In short, raw, raging emotion takes over early in this movie...and finally pays off at the end in savage satisfaction.