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Maximum Overdrive
1986 98 min United States of America R 16+
★4.8
Horror, Action, Science Fiction
Director: Stephen King
🎭 Based on
«Trucks»
byStephen King
Trailers
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Description
When a comet passes close to the earth, machines all over the world come alive and go on homicidal rampages. A group of people at a desolate truck stop are held hostage by a gang of murderous 18-wheelers. The frightened people set out to defeat the killer machines…Or be killed by them.
Budget:
$10M
US Gross:
$7.43M
Worldwide:
$7.4M
Starring
Emilio Estevez
Actor
Pat Hingle
Actor
Laura Harrington
Actor
Awards
Razzie Awards 1987
— Worst Director
Razzie Awards 1987
— Worst Actor
Key opinion
Maximum Overdrive is a polarizing directorial debut from Stephen King that is frequently characterized as a cult B-movie trash classic. While some viewers enjoy its high-energy premise and 80s aesthetic, many critics point to amateurish direction, overacting, and a disjointed tone as significant flaws.
| Score | The AC/DC soundtrack is effectively iconic for some, while others find its constant presence intrusive and tonally mismatched with the horror elements. | |
| Originality | The film's premise of sentient, murderous machinery offers an intriguing concept that suffers from underdeveloped world-building and limited scale. | |
| Acting | The acting is widely criticized as flat, cartoonish, or overly theatrical, with Emilio Estevez's performance serving as a frequent point of contention. | |
| Direction | Stephen King’s direction is frequently described as amateurish and lacking the polish expected of a professional production. |