Big trucks have an aura of romance about them. And they’re huge, they’re complicated, and they’re incredibly powerful. Which makes them a fabulous subject for action films. So we’ve compiled a list of five great movies that feature big trucks. They run the gamut from action movies to buddy flicks, horror movies to sci-fi. Watch any one of these films, and you’ll end up looking at big rigs in a whole new way. Grab the popcorn, and put your remote control into gear!
Smokey and the Bandit
Here’s the film that made Burt Reynolds a star. To win a bet, Burt Reynolds (nicknamed “Bandit”) must drive from Georgia to Texas and back, picking up a massive load of Coors beer for a rally. However, the long arm of the law takes issue with Bandit’s impetuosity, and makes it his mission to catch him. Along the way Bandit picks up a reluctant bride and co-ordinates maneuvers with his buddy via cryptic CB radio lingo. It’s a trucking classic.
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
This one’s set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, where gasoline is worth more than gold. Mel Gibson plays Max, former law enforcement official. Max is concerned about one thing: his own survival. But he agrees to help a group of survivors transport their fuel supply to a safe place. Unfortunately, they’re chased by Humangus and a band of violent raiders. It’s a frenzy of trucks, violence, and explosions.
Convoy
This film, directed by action movie filmmaker Sam Peckinpah, puts good feelings first. Kris Kristofferson plays a trucker nicknamed “Rubber Duck.” He leads a convoy of disenfranchised truckers from state to state, while being pursed by an evil sheriff. The small chase is first publicized over CB radio, and it grows as more and more truckers join the convoy. The movement increases until it makes the national news.
The Duel
Steven Spielberg’s first film shows what would happen with a psycho behind the wheel of a big rig. When insignificant businessman David Mann passes a rusty old tanker truck, the driver of the rig must have his revenge. He makes it his mission to murder Mann with his truck. In scene after pulse-pounding scene, Mann must evade the unseen trucker’s attempts to end his life. Events escalate further, and soon Mann must take drastic measures. It’s of the most suspenseful movies ever made — and a totally unrealistic portrayal of how truckers really are.
Maximum Overdrive
This is the only movie that Stephen King ever directed. After passing through a comet’s tail, mechanical devices on earth become animated, and sometimes dangerous. People hiding in a truck stop must decide what to do, as trucks come to life all around them. The leader of the trucks comes from a manufacturer of children’s games, and has a strange face like a monster’s. The small band of people must escape the truck stop, but as the trucks get smarter and gain weapons, it becomes more difficult. This is a classic that blends horror thrills with big-wheel action.
Andrew Maxwell is a professional blogger that shares advice and information for making a career change and local truck driving jobs. He writes for BestDriverJobs.com, the best place to find owner operator truck driver jobs and CDL truck driving jobs.
