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Maximum Overdrive (1986)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 2.9/10
Reviews Counted: 11
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 9

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Release Date: Jul 25, 1986 Wide

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Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 43,130

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Movie Info

Writer-director Stephen King falls short in his debut at the helm with Maximum Overdrive, an absurd tale about a radiation storm that somehow animates machines across the world, causing them to turn on their makers. The film focuses on a group of survivors held captive at the Dixie Boy Diner by a group of bad-tempered semis. Led by Emilio Estevez, the diner-goers do their impression of Ten Little Indians, waiting their turn until each gets bumped off one by one. There are holes in the plot big

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Horror, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

Directed By: Stephen King

In Theaters: Jul 25, 1986 Wide

On DVD: Apr 10, 2001

Lorimar Home Video

Maximum Overdrive Trailer & Photos

Cast

Emilio Estevez
Bill Robinson
Pat Hingle
Hendershot
Laura Harrington
Brett
Yeardley Smith
Connie
John Short
Curt
Ellen McElduff
Wanda/June
J.C. Quinn
Duncan
Christopher Murney
Camp Loman
Barry Bell
Steve
John Brasington
Frank
Jack Canon
Max
Giancarlo Esposito
Videoplayer
Frankie Faison
Handy
J. Don Ferguson
Andy
Holter Graham
Deke
Marla Maples
2nd Woman
Patrick Miller
Joe
Leon Rippy
Brad
Connie Smith
Martin Tucker
2nd Man
Stephen King
Man At Cashpoint
Ned Austin
Bridgemaster
R. Pickett Bugg
Rolf
Richard Chapman Jr.
Helper
Bob Gooden
Barry
Bob Gunter
Coach
Bill Huggins
Umpire

Critic Reviews for Maximum Overdrive

All Critics (15) | Top Critics (3) | Fresh (2) | Rotten (9) | DVD (11)

Truck stop attacked by mechanical objects, including trucks, gone awry! Based on Stephen King story.

March 14, 2009 Comment

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

This is why other people usually direct King's writing.

March 1, 2004 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Maximum Crap. It sorta revived AC/DC, if that matters.

June 18, 2003 Comment

Alex Sandell

Juicy Cerebellum

Most of the characters are so annoying that you want them to die ... a recipe' for a railroad-spike lobotomy migraine

March 19, 2003 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Brian Mckay

eFilmCritic.com

A suitably schlocky Stephen King story.

February 10, 2003 Comment

Shannon J. Harvey

Sunday Times (Australia)

" 'Maximum Tedium' -- the year

July 29, 2002 Comment

James Sanford

Kalamazoo Gazette

When Novelists Direct!

July 25, 2002 Comment

Scott Weinberg

eFilmCritic.com

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Maximum Overdrive

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Whilst earth travels through the tail end of a comet trail all the machines in the world go haywire and start to turn violently on their human creators with anything from electric knives to ice-cream vans seeking blood, but it's the big rig trucks that play the lead villains in this film as they trap a group of

March 28, 2011

Lee ?

Super Reviewer

One of my favourite machines gone haywire movies ever! First of all it's directed by King himself, not just written by him! It's got Emilio Estevez, who gives a nice performance, as does the rest of the cast. Plus, an awesome heavy metal soundtrack from ACDC! I highly recommend this movie.

September 6, 2010