Walking Tall
Chris Vaughn, a former Army Special Forces sergeant, returns to his small home town in Washington state to find some work at the cedar mill, but he finds that it closed down three years ago, and now, there’s a new casino in town, owned by his old school friend, Jay Hamilton, who is now taking liberties because of the chaotic economic situation. With the mill closed down, the casino is the main source of income for the town. Vaughn decides to check out the casino, and sees the craps dealer use loaded dice. When Vaughn gets somewhat violent, the security guards subdue him, then carve his stomach and leave him for dead, but he is found and hospitalized, and eventually recovers. Vaughn goes to the Sheriff to place charges on those who carved his stomach, but the Sheriff refuses to allow Vaughn to press charges because the casino is viewed as so important. After Vaughn also finds out that his nephew, Pete, experimented with Crystal Meth, which was sold to his friends by a casino security guard. Vaughn goes to the casino, and using a board as a club, he beats the security guards, and makes his point to Jay Hamilton that he won’t tolerate the crime in his town anymore.
In the ensuing trial, Vaughn tells the jury (and the rest of the town) that if he is cleared of the charges, he will run for sheriff and clean up the town. He is then acquitted and wins the election for sheriff. Upon taking office, he fires the entire police force and deputizes his friend, Ray Templeton, who he knows will remain loyal and fight for what he knows is right.
Vaughn and Templeton find hidden drugs on Hamilton’s right-hand man, Booth, and they take him into custody. In an attempt to make him rat on other drug dealers, they tear his truck apart, but he doesn’t talk. The former Sheriff and his deputies then go to the Sheriff’s office, blow up Vaughn’s truck, and try to kill him, and while guns are being fired into the Sheriff’s office, with his life in danger, Booth tells Vaughn where the drug base is, and where they make them, which is in the old mill. Soon after releasing this information, Booth gets shot, and dies. Vaughn is able to escape.
Vaughn’s parents’ house was raided by some of Hamilton’s men, but Templeton, who was stationed there, managed to keep everyone safe with the help of Chris Vaughn Sr., Chris Vaughn’s father. Vaughn then goes to the mill, and finds the drugs there, along with Hamilton, who sets a trap on Vaughn, and they fight for their lives in the woods behind the mill, with Vaughn eventually beating Hamilton, and placing him under arrest. Vaughn closes the casino, and the mill was reopened shortly after.
