Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Directed by Stephen King
Sometimes movies are so corny that they’re amazing. I’m looking at you Miami Connection! Maximum Overdrive has a big cult following for this reason. People seem to really love it and embrace the campiness. I added it to my queue in Amazon and in Netflix before and never got around to watching it. Well thanks to my newborn daughter waking me up at 6am and then proceeding to barf an entire bottle’s worth of formula onto my bare chest, I was able to wipe off and watch this.
The movie starts off with action, little backstory, little introduction and for that I applaud it. This movie knows what the hell it is, its entertainment and it certainly entertains. Basically, the Earth is the tail of a large comet. Something in the comet’s tail causes machinery to go haywire and rebel against us. It is as amazing as it sounds, believe me! We see a wide variety of fun ideas like a draw bridge going up with cars on it, an ATM calling Stephen King an asshole (which made me laugh out loud), and a vending machine shooting pop cans into a guy’s crotch and face. During the mayhem there is a group of survivors holding up in a gas station, trying to outlast and deal with the machinery run amok.
The acting isn’t awful really. Emilio Estevez is at his Emilioest. I mean is Emilio a great actor? Not really. Is he bad? Not really. He’s not as great as his dad Martin Sheen or his insane brother Charlie Sheen, but he’s likable. Man, Gordon Bombay was my hero back in the day! Minnesota Miracle Man! Anyways, he does a decent job with the lead role. Theres a kid on a bike named Deke (Holter Graham) does a solid job for a child actor. Yeardley Smith plays Connie a newlywed woman there with her husband Curtis (John short). Man, Yeardley Smith is annoying. Think about Lisa Simpson whining and bitching the whole movie, yeah ugh.
Special effects are prevalent in this film. You get a lot of cool and inventive kills with the machines. Numerous trucks and cars hitting people, an arcade cabinet shocking a guy, the aforementioned vending machine shooting pop cans, even a steam roller running over a kid. Yes, even kids die in this movie! Just wow I couldn’t believe that steam roller scene haha. All the effects are believable because they are all physical and practical effects. The gore is somewhat limited but what we see is decent, lots of blood for sure. Imagine if the steam roller crushed the kid’s skull and there was a crunching sound and blood spray? That would make this NC17 I’m sure and would borderline Troma levels of graphic gore haha.
There isn’t much in the way of creative cinematography, but it isn’t boring by any means. This is the only movie directed by Stephen King, and while it isn’t a masterpiece it is definitely better than anything Uwe Boll has made! Kind of surprised King never tried directing again, unless that was a choice of his? I’m not sure but at least he’s an amazing writer! I’m also kind of surprised they haven’t tried to remake this movie, not that I want them to but surprised no one has.
Maximum Overdrive is a fun popcorn movie. It isn’t going to blow your mind with though provoking dialogue or drama. It is going to entertain the shit out of you and make you laugh from time to time whether it is purposeful or not. I enjoyed this and it helped pass the time until my wife woke up so I could shower and get the formula off me. I would give this a B. It is fun, its not great, its not that bad, and I’ll probably rewatch it again sometime.
