Thunder Run

I'm not a trucker or a hotrodder... but I was born in the 70s and grew up in the 80s, and this film really takes me back.

Lasers were such a futuristic sci-fi weapon, and I remember our uncertainty if the government didn't really have lasers developed into the weapons of Star Wars and such. We, also, had a great fascination with super vehicles that, by today's standards, were low-tech, but beefed up to perform beyond anything you could buy off the lot... KITT, Streethawk, Automan, Air Wolf, and the like certainly made for good film back in the day.

The acting was good, but the script was cheesy, and I think that adds to the film's charm. There were some plot points that raise questions, but not enough to detract from enjoyment of watching the movie... as long as you take the era in which this movie was filmed into account.

Probably hardly anyone has even heard of this movie, and that's all right, because the only people who would care about it are truckers and hot rodders. As far as the plot goes, let's just say there's a secret government operation here, subject to terrorists and internal corruption. Forrest Tucker was a man many people today are not familiar with, but he had a lot of roles and was a common name. And then we have John Shepherd, who is not a familiar name but is worth checking out. His character drag races a Chevy pickup, apparently one of the fastest in existence, and it seems the girls flock to him two at a time. There's also a scene with the "Cotton-eyed Joe." Anyway, Forrest and John are trucking plutonium in a high-tech customized semi with the Chevy on board, just in case they need it. The Kenworth conventional tractor has a 8V-92 Detroit, apparently the best powerplant for this mission. Now for the best part of this whole movie: Where White Line Fever gives you a truck tractor jumping through the air, Thunder Run gives you a whole semi!! Later they have to abandon the rig and use the Chevy to escape from a 12V-71 Detroit-equipped Kenworth cabover which gets wrecked. Anyway, they get like $250,000 for the run, and John asks Forrest what they're going to spend it on, and, like a real man, Forrest says "On anything we damn well please!"

I would describe this film as being a 'Road' film, because that is basically what it is. It has all the usual moments but is not overridden with action at all, in fact it has a bit of a story behind it aswell, which is suprising. This film is very Mad Max like in the truck scenes. I enjoyed this film, but it is the kind of thing that you could only watch a few times before you went mad!!!!!!!!

Bullhead City, Arizona. It was great to see Hollywood coming to town. I'll admit this movie is bad but some of the people I went to high school with are in it. Dennis Deal, the General, was our high school basketball coach. The bar scene, where the two guys get in an argument over a girl (isn't that always the case?), those guys are brothers and the bartender that breaks it up is their father. Funny, eh? Anyway, I said it's bad and it is but I get a big kick out of watching it. I can point out all the places they go in the movie. The final destination is really Davis Dam on the Colorado River. Anyway, watch this movie, laugh at how bad it is and, if you're from the 'Head, it'll mean that much more to you.

This is NOT available on Amazon prime! Please stop telling people it is