Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Director: Stephen King Stars: Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington

Review:

Ah...Stephen King, one of the most popular horror novelist of our time. Funny fact is that horror movies based on his stories usually sucks. Sure The Shining (1980) is an absolute classic, and I do like IT (1990), but if you count the garbage ones there are a million more. This time is about killer trucks that move by themselves. Well...that's about it.

At the beginning of the movie we were told earth is in the tail of a comet, and we see trucks and other machinery moves by themselves, causing harm to human beings. That is the whole idea of the movie, and the rest is mostly slapstick comedy routines. It is a little funny at the first ten minutes or so, watching people falling clumsily into water or so, but after 20 minutes it really outstaged its welcome, and hopeing for something to happen for a change.

Guess what happened next.

The characters are stupid, forgettable and annoying. Some of their misfortune was not even remotely connected with the whole "machine coming alive" thing. One ugly chick who just got married just wont shut the fuck up. I hate her chicken voice and I waiting to see her die the worst possible way. But she survived. Oh what the hell.

Oh I'm sorry man...Thanks for get rid of one monster on earth though.

There is a difference between movies that make people forget about logic, or does not have any logic at all. This movie is the latter case. Why do trucks turn over when you shot bullets at it? Why the trucks wont crush down the honky tonk earlier? Why the girl immediately believe some DJ on the radio talking non-sense of staying off any highway? Why they do not fire a rocket launcher at the machine-gun vehicle? Oh the hell with reasons.

Hey plastic or wood is insulator!

What could possibly tip him over?

This is a junk film, sure, but was it even worth a laugh? I personally do find it quite hilarious, as I have said the jokes are really monotone that based on only slapsticks. Some people argued, "It's worth a watch just for the AC/DC soundtrack." Yes the whole soundtrack comes from AC/DC, Stephen King's favourate band. It tried to give a "O Yeaaah!" response after something blown up or someone got killed. After the 10th "O Yeaaah!", it becomes "o yeah?" or "o shit". If you love AC/DC so much, why not just listen to their CDs?

At the end, we were told, by text on the screen, it was from an alien masterplan all along and the comet tail has nothing to do with it. O whatever. After this failure Stephen King swore to never direct again. Thank god.