Nicolas Cage's character picks up a stuffed animal as a gift for his daughter. His character in Con Air (1997) does the same, it which is also directed by Simon West.
The initial title was "Medallion."
The taxicabs in New Orleans do not have the taxicab's number in the roof light; they are on the front and rear bumpers. While this was filmed on location, all of the taxicabs filmed had to have New York City roof lights installed, as part of the plot relied on this. The majority of the taxicabs however, were real local taxis. The taxicabs that did volunteer for the service were mostly independently owned and not fleet taxis, as the majority of them have advertising signs on the roof.