Maximum Overdrive

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Maximum Overdrive

R

1986

1h 38m

Horror

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Popcornmeter

14%

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14 Reviews

50%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

After a comet causes a radiation storm on Earth, machines come to life and turn against their makers. Holed up in a North Carolina truck stop, a group of survivors must fend for themselves against a mass of homicidal trucks. A diner cook, Bill Robinson (Emilio Estevez), emerges as the unlikely leader of the pack, attempting to find an escape plan for himself and the survivors, who include his boss, Bubba Hendershot (Pat Hingle), and a newlywed couple.

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Richard Freedman

Newark Star-Ledger

Jan 6

"Maximum Overdrive" is minimum movie-making by no less a celebrity than best-selling horror writer Stephen King, here making his less than auspicious directorial debut.

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Kevin Carr

Fat Guys at the Movies

01/27/2024

1.5/4

Someone once said to me: “Stephen King didn’t direct this movie. Cocaine directed this movie.” And it certainly shows.

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Austin Kennedy

Sin Magazine

05/15/2012

1.5/4

Stephen King has admitted himself that he was coked out of his mind during the making of this. Well... duh!

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Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

03/14/2009

3/5

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

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

08/22/2005

2/5

Caffeinated Clint

Moviehole

05/06/2005

2/5

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Meghan

Mar 11

Fun silly b-horror !

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Ian R

@RT23899272 Jun 7

I'm Australian 🇭🇲 and never knew AC/DC did a soundtrack album for a movie. So that was a great start to the opening of the film. At about 12 minutes into the story, when an electric carving knife goes on an attack of the staff at the diner of the truck stop, I had to take a break. However, I'm a fan of Emilio Estevez and with him in the film, a crazy story of machines gone wild directed by a drug fuelled Stephen King (allegedly), and the voice of Lisa Simpson, what could go wrong. Everything. I'm glad I can say I've seen this thing. But that's all. It is a really bad movie. The high point was hoping that the character of Connie would get killed. No wonder she became most famous as a voice actor. Extremely strange movie. Perhaps Stephen King watched Duel and got over excited and made his own truck movie.

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Shawn R

@satiable Feb 11

Stephen King should have stuck to what he does best.. and it isn't directing.

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Pete R.

@thekidsalami Feb 1

Hands down, the finest film of 1986. A masterpiece in every sense of the word.

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Lex C

@Monsterlex Jan 14

Perhaps because this Gen X guy watched this when I was a teen and loved it. I am giving it a 4 of 5. Its a movie you don't take as serious as other SK works. Its Fun and Silly with a good premise

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Clint C

@Shlebmo Jan 6

It is decent at first but grows boring. I’ve seen it so many times but don’t think I’ve ever finished it and doubt anyone has

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Stephen King

Director

Emilio Estevez

Bill Robinson

Pat Hingle

Bubba Hendershot

Laura Harrington

Brett

Yeardley Smith

Connie

John Short

Curtis

Pumpkinhead

51%

49%

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Synopsis

After a comet causes a radiation storm on Earth, machines come to life and turn against their makers. Holed up in a North Carolina truck stop, a group of survivors must fend for themselves against a mass of homicidal trucks. A diner cook, Bill Robinson (Emilio Estevez), emerges as the unlikely leader of the pack, attempting to find an escape plan for himself and the survivors, who include his boss, Bubba Hendershot (Pat Hingle), and a newlywed couple.

Director: Stephen King
Producer: Martha De Laurentiis
Screenwriter: Stephen King
Production Co: De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 25, 1986, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 20, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.0M
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)