Maximum Overdrive

I watched the film Maximum Overdrive, directed by Stephen King, released in 1986. It stars Emilio Estevez, Laura Harrington, Pat Hingle, Yeardley Smith. It also has the distinction of having a soundtrack that is done by the Australian heavy metal group AC/DC. The story is that the Earth is in the tail of a comet and all the machines come alive. Most of the movie takes place at the Dixie Boy Truck Stop where a cast of characters are trapped by multiple “living” 18 wheelers. The main 18 wheeler, a truck hauling toys, has the face of Marvel Comic’s Green Goblin on the front of the cab, giving it an extra feeling of creepiness and living feeling. The movie itself is adapted from the King short-story “Trucks” and this is King’s only directorial effort.

I watched this film a LOT when I was a kid, basically as much as I could, though I have yet to purchase it. It’s one of those films that has the right amount of humour and 80’s badassery (I’m calling it that) that really makes it a cult classic of a film. Emilio as the main character (though almost all the characters are important as they contribute to the plot in various ways to keep the film moving) really has you relating to him through the entire film as he seems to be the only one aware of the situation and the most competent. Laura Harrinton’s character adds to this dymanic as she helps Emilio’s character in practically all the situations they find themselves in and is pretty much the only person who goes along with his plans as the film goes along. The effects are pretty spectacular and don’t disappoint. I have always been fascinated as to how they got those trucks and other vehicles to drive by themselves, through actual means and remote control, and even now knowing that, I still marvel at that complexity. There is a fair amount of profanity in it, even in the very beginning, which kind of tells you what kind of film it will be. There is plenty of gore but not to where it becomes gratuitous.

Though King has denounced this film in interviews, I feel that as a director, it is pretty damn good. I have seen much more “terrible” films than this (even big Hollywood productions) and this one, even with its “flaws” still stands up to anything else that features killer vehicles, such as The Car, Duel, Christine (another King classic, directed by John Carpenter) and the human spirit of survival. The important thing that works for this film is the character driven plot. It is simple, sure however, the complexity and power struggles are what make it compelling to watch.

That and exploding trucks. That are trying to kill people.