Such a frustrating disappointment

Crappy film

A different way of telling a story

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

In 1986, Stephen King turned director, adapting his short story 'Trucks' for the cinema; the result was Maximum Overdrive, a hokey horror with lots of silly deaths, an excess of vehicular destruction, a rockin' soundtrack, and a truck that looked like The Green Goblin! The film received negative reviews and was a box-office flop, although I actually found it to be a whole lot of fun.Trucks is another attempt at bringing King's short story to the screen, this time by director Chris Thomson, and it too is extremely dumb, even more-so at times, with a couple of unbelievably silly killings (try not to laugh at the sight of an inflated unoccupied hazmat suit wielding an axe, or the killer toy truck!); as such, I also found it entertaining.Sadly, there's no AC/DC blaring over the action, and the film suffers slightly from a noticeable lack of a big green-faced semi-trailer, but it's still worth checking out - especially for the surprisingly good ending.

Director Chris Thomsen does superb work in bringing the Stephen King story to the screen as a truly exciting work of cinema. With excellent special effects and stunning cinematography, this is what King's own directorial effort with Maximum Overdrive should have been. Here, King's vision is fleshed out and fully realized as never before. The cast is terrific as well, with Timothy Busfield giving one of his most powerful performances. The tension is unrelenting and beyond endurance at times but those who stay with this fine film until its shattering climax will be richly rewarded by the incredible cinematic experience that is Trucks.

Various characters are trapped at a diner/tourist trap/gas station as semis & other commercial trucks operate on their own circling while "communicating" to each other via horn honking. Father and son, Ray(Timothy Busfield)and Logan(Brendan Fletcher)operate the desert spot with pal/cook George(Victor Cowie). Hope(Brenda Bakke, quite low-key, but offers a cool-headed chick)is a former RN who returned to the small desert town of Lunar after a rocky marriage that ended badly. Military man Thad(Roman Podhora)brought along his estranged daughter Abby(Amy Stewart), who reluctantly came along with her father at his ordered request as tourists seeking escape to Lunar while tagging along also is 50-year-old hippie Jack(Jay Brazeau). Meanwhile two truckers, Bob(Aidan Devine) and Pete(Rick Skene)resist the notion that their trucks will remain with out the drivers who occupy the vehicle seats. These truckers prove quite a problem for Ray as the situation escalates. A visiting couple, car salesman Brad(Jonathan Barrett)and displeased wife June(Sharon Bajer)are also in Lunar as tourists. One by one, the group fall victim to the homicidal trucks..cool heads will have to prevail if they have any chance of survival. Is there any hope for this group? The film provides possibilities for why the trucks are acting in such a fashion. A chemical spill. Area 51 is nearby. There was a comet shower. Hippie Jack offers lots of conspiracy theories and crazy notions..he offers the idea that the comet shower may've possibly bombarded the atmosphere with alien particles that have the radioactive power to guide mechanized machinery. Military man Thad informs Ray quietly that, while he was working as a helicopter man for the Air Force at Area 51, a scientific organization was running titled Project:Phoenix where high-powered telescopes sent out signals toward the stars calling out to alien life in space. Perhaps, the unfortunate events occurring is their way of answering? A different take on Stephen King's short story. Unlike King's only directed film, the zany "Maximum Overdrive", "Trucks" is told straight, serious in tone, tamer, and saner. "Trucks" isn't as bloodthirsty or outrageous as "Maximum Overdrive." But, "Trucks" hurts by a lack of budget and it's television confines limit what you can convey on screen. The trucks, like In King's film, do communicate and desire Ray to fill them with gasoline. "Trucks" has a neat little twist that does out duel King's version. This film probably has stronger, more likable characters, but the cast isn't as cool or interesting as King's film contains. "Trucks" really doesn't leave a lasting impression, either. Still not too bad, with some effective scenes.

Trucks! "U-Turn U-Die!" More like "U-CRAP U-WORSE THAN 2FAST 2FURIOUS" If you watch this film you will want to shoot the television. If you are a Steven king fan you will want to shoot the television and shoot the producer. If you like the story however, you will still hate this movie. One could say that it is not a bad movie, in the same way Hitler was fond of fluffy kittens and donating to charity. This film is terrible, but it has one strong point, it has the temptation no other crappy horror film that i have ever seen has. It makes you want to keep wasting it. Hit it with an axe. Time and time again and you will never get bored.