Maximum Overdrive

"Imagine your worst nightmare...machines take over the world!"

1986 1h 38m EN

😐

5.8

MID

🥫

14%

ROTTEN

😬

METACRITIC

⭐

5.4

IMDB

★5.8TMDB · 898🥫14%Rotten Tomatoes●24Metacritic★5.4IMDB · 39,099

HorrorActionScience Fiction

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Imagine your worst nightmare...machines take over the world!”

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Where to watch · US

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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

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Stephen King
Writers: Stephen King, Stephen King
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

40 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Stephen King, shot by Armando Nannuzzi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Evan A. Lottman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Emilio Estevez and Pat Hingle and Laura Harrington carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Imagine your worst nightmare...machines take over the world!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0091499 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Stephen King directs. Armando Nannuzzi behind the camera. Evan A. Lottman cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 74% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
240 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Stephen King, shot by Armando Nannuzzi. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Editor Evan A. Lottman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Emilio Estevez and Pat Hingle and Laura Harrington carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Imagine your worst nightmare...machines take over the world!".
7IMDB entry: tt0091499 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 15 themes, including "man vs machine", "gas station", "roadhouse", "dark comedy".
9Released under 11 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Armando Nannuzzi
Editing: Evan A. Lottman
Production design: Giorgio Postiglione
Costume design: Clifford Capone
Makeup / hair: Marlana May
VFX supervisor: Barry Nolan
Sound: Mel Zelniker
Stunt coordinator: Glenn Randall Jr.
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $10,000,000
Box office: $7,400,000
Return: 74% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes: 14% 🥫 Rotten
Metacritic: 24/100
IMDB rating: 5.4/10 · 39,099 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

4 nominations total

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

atticbuzz2026-01-31
★ 8/10
I really don’t get the hate on this movie. It’s brilliant. Sure, the director (Stephen King) was coked up, and some of the acting is over-the-top (“we made you!”), but this is a brilliant premise with great execution. It’s totally 80s, but that’s a strength, not a weakness. It also has a killer soundtrack by AC/DC.

Production companies