Maximum Overdrive

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Maximum Overdrive

R

Released Jul 25, 1986

1h 37m

Horror

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Popcornmeter

14%

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14 Reviews

50%

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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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Kevin Carr

Fat Guys at the Movies

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

Rated: 1.5/4

Jan 27, 2024

Full Review

Richard Freedman

Newhouse News Service

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.

Nov 6, 2019

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Austin Kennedy

Sin Magazine

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

Rated: 1.5/4

May 15, 2012

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Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

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

Rated: 3/5

Mar 14, 2009

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Aug 22, 2005

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Caffeinated Clint

Moviehole

Rated: 2/5

May 6, 2005

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Teddy B

Stephen King's direction isn't as interesting as the prospect sounds, due to his substance abuse, but this schlock-fest brings out some of the best of his pulp-horror talents besides his serious psychological dramas.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/06/24

Full Review

Audience Member

The only movie to have a accurate Green Goblin to appear on the big screen from the Spiderman comics. A UFO comment passed by Earth and al the electronics come alive and vehicles plus ACDC doing all the music ? Count me in . This was Stephen King director debut and according to people he was always drunk and coke out during production . Having golf cart races during down time and rented out a theater for the whole cast and crew and watched the original Godzilla and Night of the Living Dead. This is a guilty pleasure movie. The dialogue isn't great but is hilarious, interesting story and the movie is just fun as fuck. It's great 9/10 I always loved this movie from the 80s .

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/19/24

Full Review

Michael B

GREAT ACTION MOVIE, DONT LISTEN TO IDEITES.😃😃😃😃😃

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

Full Review

Carson P

The only good thing about this piece of schlock is the soundtrack from ac/dc and it’s dissapointing since I would love a movie that is fun to have a soundtrack from one of the greatest rock n roll besides that this first and only feature film from author Stephen king is devoid of wit, charm or any sense of likeable charachter development or storytelling it’s bland nonsensival and dull and there isn’t really much to say of it it’s just not a good movie whatsoever it’s easy to see why king even regretted doing it. The who made who from ac/dc couldn’t even save it at lesst we have battleship now that’s a good movie with a great AC⚡️DC soundtrack watch that instead because that was a fun movie with a great rock soundtrack because maximum overdrive Sucks with a capital S because of the soundtrack alone I give it a 2/10

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/29/24

Full Review

Michael W

This horror/action movie was pretty good. Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, Holter Graham, Yeardley Smith, John Short, and the rest of the cast did a pretty good job in this movie. The plot of the movie was bizarre and action-packed. It's about a comet that brings makes machines run by themselves and go on a killing spree. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you might like it. It wasn't very good, but it wasn't terrible.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/20/24

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Casey N

I don't care what anyone says this movie is amazing.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/02/24

Full Review

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Stephen King

Director

Emilio Estevez

Bill Robinson

Pat Hingle

Bubba Hendershot

Laura Harrington

Brett

Yeardley Smith

Connie

John Short

Curtis

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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
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 37m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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