Scene-Stealing Trucks in Movies

It's Oscar season, and our friends at Today's Trucking recently put together a list of "Reel Wheels: 50 scene-stealing trucks in the movies."

Very few people (at least those of us old enough to remember Burt Reynolds with hair) think of trucking and movies without recalling Smokey and the Bandit, from 1977. With the cops in pursuit, Bandit and his truck drivin' pal hauling a load of contraband beer ask a convoy of trucks to run interference. Because he's got a long way to go, and a short time to get there. (Bet you're humming that theme song now.)

But here are my personal top five movies from John Law's list where trucks play a lesser role:

The Matrix Reloaded (2003) – Fans may forever dismiss this sequel, but there's no denying the visual thrill of the (almost) climactic freeway chase which culminates with Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) trading kung fu moves with one of the agents atop a speeding tractor-trailer. If only the movie ended there.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – The fourth film in the epic series is essentially one long truck sequence, with Max (Tom Hardy) and new partner Furiosa (Charlize Theron) sharing time behind the wheel. You're exhausted by the time of the climactic race back to the Citadel, but director George Miller somehow manages to crank up the tension in a whirlwind of ingenious stunts and breathless pacing.

Breakdown (1997) – Near the end of this terrific '90s thriller, Kurt Russell battles the slimy trucker (J.T. Walsh) who kidnapped his wife on board a rig hanging perilously over a bridge. When the fall doesn't kill our bad guy, the truck finishes the job.

Live Free or Die Hard (2007) – If you're going to go completely over-the-top with your Die Hard, you might as well have a truck vs. fighter jet ...Read the rest of this story

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