Maximum Overdrive(1986)

Maximum Overdrive(1986) is a horror movie based on a short story by Stephen King and it is directed by King himself. It was a total flop, but that doesn't put me off at all. I think that it is fun and it is seen as a comedy/horror film. I don't really know why so many people dislike this film. The acting isn't great, but hey, it's a horror movie. Plus, it has Emilio Estevez and a great soundtrack by AC/DC. What's not to like?












The film begins with all electrical and mechanical appliances becoming evil after being exposed to radiation from a comet. They begin to think for themselves and man is their first enemy. Cut to the Dixie Boy Truck Stop in Wilmington, North Carolina where the patrons of a restaurant are finding that something weird is going on with the trucks. They seem to have come alive and they have minds of their own. No one can quite believe it and they are trapped in the building by the trucks. The people in the restaurant don't know what to do and that is when an ex-con called Bill(Emilio Estevez) takes it upon himself to try and battle these demonic machines. There is a leader of the pack, which has a smiling goblin face on the front of it.










Bill and the others try to escape,but they are stopped by machine guns which are attached to a jeep. They have no choice but to pump gas for the trucks to keep them going. They try to come up with a plan to destroy the trucks and escape to Haven Island, which has no vehicles or machines allowed. They find a hidden stash of guns underneath the diner and they prepare to sneak out of the diner and away to freedom.















The trucks, however are not stupid and they are patrolling outside,waiting for someone to make a mistake. Eventually, the survivors sneak away from the diner without the trucks seeing them. They get away from the diner just in time as the trucks are smashing into it and destroying it. The whole truck stop explodes and takes some trucks with it. Of course, the leader of the trucks is still going strong and it follows them to the marina where they are going to try and get to the island. They are cornered by the huge truck, but Bill shoots at it and he manages to blow it up. They escape and later, we are told that a UFO was destroyed in space and maybe that that had something to do with it.

While it isn't the best Stephen King movie ever, it is well worth a watch and there are some good scenes in it. I would recommend it to anyone who loves 80's horror! I will give it a 8/10.