Best Trucker Movies By Genre
During the late 70s and through the 80s, Hollywood produced some of its best trucker movies. They romanticized the trucker lifestyle and their larger-than-life personalities. Life on the road is entertaining, whether your hero is battling 18-wheeler sentient cyborgs or hauling a load of illegal beer from Texas to Georgia. The fascination of the open road and the power of a big rig have officially been embraced by American pop culture.
Moviemakers are still cashing in on the trucker cowboy, gypsies, and serial killer trends, and you can find a trucker movie in just about every genre of film. The following list includes trucker movies that shine in their categories and are worth adding to your watch list!
Best Trucker Action Film
Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, and James Hong star in the 1986 film Big Trouble in Little China. The story follows truck Driver Jack Burton as they face the dangers of a Chinese street gang, The Lords of Death. In his efforts to save his friend’s fiance, he winds up on a quest for justice against evil sorcerers. Fantastic martial arts action scenes and ancient rivalries make this into an action-packed cult classic you can watch again and again.
Best Animated Trucker Movie
Although it doesn’t highlight a human trucker, the success of the Transformers franchise makes it a contender on this list. Our 18-wheeler superhero Optimus Prime and the incredible characters of the Autobots win our loyalty and gratitude for battling against the evil Decepticons and the infamous warlord Megatron. It’s a blockbuster adventure that brings the whole family together!
Best Trucker Comedy
With an entire cast of A-listers, the 1977 film The Great Smoke Roadblock features an old trucker fulfilling the last item on his bucket list. Legendary actor Henry Fonda is joined by Eileen Brennan, Robert Englund, Austin Pendleton, Susan Sarandon, and John Byner. Fonda takes one final cross-country trip along with a hitchhiker and some crazy friends. The result is a hilarious trip and the ride of his life!
Best Trucker Horror-Comedy Movie
Maximum Overdrive is a horror-comedy about semi trucks that come to life and take over the Dixie Boy Truck Stop. Written and directed by Stephen King, the story begins with the tail of a comet that brings inanimate objects to life as it passes closely by the Earth’s orbit. Many machines begin turning on humans, especially an 18-wheeler with an absurd Green Goblin mask across the grill. As one of the best “so good it’s bad” trucker movies, and it has developed a loyal cult fanbase. Stephen King, however, has decided to stick to writing.
Best Trucker Mystery Movie
Joy Ride is a mystery-thriller about three friends on a road trip who play a practical joke that goes wrong. It starred Paul Walker, Steve Zahn, and Leelee Sobieski and was co-written by writer, director, and producer J. J. Abrams. The lonely truck driver using the CB handle Rusty Nail is at the center of the conflict. The prank drives the psychotic trucker to declare vengeance and haunt the young adults for the rest of the film; in fact, he returns in two more sequels to continue his reign of terror.
Best Thriller Truck Movie
After a stint in jail, Jack Crews, played b Patrick Swayze, tries to pick up the pieces of his life in the 1998 thriller trucker film Black Dog. With limited employment options, Jack moves to Atlanta to take a trucking gig. Little did he know he would be challenged with hijackers, kidnappers, and murder when he unknowingly gets caught up in an arms trade.
Best Truck Driving Documentary
Big Rig was released in 2007 and focused on the real-life stories of long-haul truckers. Doug Pray and his documentary film crew ride in big rigs to different truck stop across America to explore the hard-working, dedicated drivers who sacrifice daily to keep this country running. Although getting truckers to speak on camera was challenging, it still provides a unique perspective on the industry we rely on.
Best Trucker Movie Overall
Designated the best trucker movie overall because it launched careers and introduced the general public to a cult classic. Burt Reynolds, Sally Fields, and Cledus Snow travel from Atlanta to Texas and back with an illegal load of beer. They run into trouble with the crankiest “smokey,” Buford T. Justice. Action, comedy, and a smidge of romance follow a cat-and-mouse game through the South as Reynolds dodges justice once again in a high-speed car chase. The movie was directed by Hal Needham and finished as the second highest-grossing movie of the year behind Star Wars – Episode IV – A New Hope.