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Maximum Overdrive

MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE

1986 • US HMDB

July 13, 1986

When a comet passes close to the earth, machines all over the world come alive and go on homicidal rampages. A group of people at a desolate truck stop are held hostage by a gang of murderous 18-wheelers. The frightened people set out to defeat the killer machines…Or be killed by them.

Directors

Stephen King

Horror Azione Commedia Fantascienza

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

Holter Graham

Deke

Frankie Faison

Handy

Pat Miller

Joe

Jack Canon

Max

Barry Bell

Steve

John Brasington

Frank

J. Don Ferguson

Andy

Leon Rippy

Brad

Robert Gooden

Barry

R. Pickett Bugg

Rolf

Giancarlo Esposito

Videoplayer

Martin Tucker

2nd Man

Crew

Production: Martha De Laurentiis (Producer) — Don Levin (Executive Producer) — Mel Pearl (Executive Producer) — Dino De Laurentiis (Executive Producer)

Screenplay: Stephen King (Screenplay)

Music: Malcolm Young (Original Music Composer) — Angus Young (Original Music Composer) — Brian Johnson (Original Music Composer) — Cliff Williams (Original Music Composer)

Cinematography: Armando Nannuzzi (Director of Photography)

REVIEWS (1)

Marco Castellini

• December 13, 2025

Due to the astral conjunction of Earth with a comet, machines start rebelling against humans causing disasters. Some people take refuge in a gas station to try to escape the crazy cars and wait for the comet's effect to fade. King attempts to bring one of his most famous stories to the screen, but he directs a film that is at times too slow and lacks the gripping rhythm of the novel it is based on. Ugly, avoidable, we prefer King as a writer than as a director.