Thunder Run (1986)

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

This is very straightforward and rudimentary action-cheese from the 1980's, no more and no less. First, we have 45 minutes of obligatory character introductions, depiction of clichés and mood-setting tableaux. Then, we have a good 45 minutes of crowd-pleasing action sequences that include explosions, ramming, 18-wheel truck stunts and impressive accidents. That's how simple movies can be, and it's great! Charlie Morrison was a Korean War veteran and furthermore notorious heavy truck driver, but that was a long time ago. Now he, his beloved wife Maggie and daredevil grandson Chris unsuccessfully try to exploit a mine in Nevada. Charlie receives a visit from his former army buddy turned government agent George, who hires him to transport a chest of plutonium to Arizona in a specially armored truck named "Thunder" and earn $250.000. During his trip Charlie has to be wary of well-organized terrorists with special tricks and gimmicks up their sleeves (like Volkswagen Beetles with rocket launchers on the roof), but he gets help from his grandson and his nerd friends. At first, I assumed "Thunder Run" would be a delightful and joyous "hillbilly" movie! There are bar sequences where the band plays songs like "Cotton Eye Joe" and "Bullsh*t". The elderly townsfolk dance in the bar while the younger generation are out in the streets organizing illegal street races. Furthermore there's the weird romance between a blond babe (with a really fine bottom) and the world's biggest nerd and the Chevy pick-up with gas injection which predates the similar "The Fast and the Furious" with approximately fifteen years. Later, there's the typical pimping of the truck with explosive gadgets (immensely popularized by "The A-Team") and the introduction of ultra-evil villains. You can clearly tell these guys are pure evil because they either have icky scars in their faces or non-Americans! The finale contains some wondrous action highlights including 65ft long Thunder jumping over a moving train and an exhilarating showdown between trucks. "Thunder Run" is fantastic, monumental 80's guff!

Few studios could rival Cannon back in the 80's when it came to cranking out slickly mounted give the audience what they've paid to see action/adventure potboilers. Sure, their films were usually pretty empty-headed and utterly lacking in originality, but they delivered the goods just the same in an admirably precise and economical manner."Thunder Run" is a solid example of Cannon's winning formula: it's simple, basic and to the point. Forrest Tucker in his final film role affably portrays Charlie Morrison, a crusty crackerjack gear-gammer and Korean war veteran who's hired by crafty government agent John Ireland to haul a load of plutonium freight across a long, lonely stretch of Nevada desert backroads. Naturally, there's one immense hitch: a lethal band of nuclear terrorists led by a sensationally slimy Alan Rachins want to steal the plutonium, so Morrison, assisted by his loving grandson Chris (likable John Shepherd), stacks the odds more in his favor by building himself an almighty, heavily armored, tank-like 65-foot 18-wheeler supertruck called "Big Thunder." Gary Hudson's vigorous direction ensures that this tightly efficient B-picture chase thriller storms along in a pleasingly straightforward and single-minded manner akin to Morrison's truck: we've got a ceaseless rapid-fire pace, gritty, here's-dirt-in-your-eye ground level camera-work by Harvey Genkins, amusingly dopey adolescent sex hi-jinks (a klutzy stringbean electronics whiz kid dweeb does just what you think with a gorgeously slinky blonde babe), an incessantly pounding score by Jay Levy, frequent bright yellow explosions, a terrifically trashy hard rock soundtrack, engaging characters (Jill Whitlow of "Night of the Creeps" fame is especially endearing as Chris' sweet girlfriend), a few lovably cheesy gimmicks (would you believe outrageously garish, camouflage-painted Volkswagons equipped with rocker launchers?), and, most importantly, more wild, careening, knock-you-out-of-your-seat frantic and exciting piston-pumping car chase action than you can shake a tire iron at. Okay, as far as creativity is concerned this puppy's admittedly low on gas, but it still rattles along with a certain rousing streamlined momentum nonetheless.

I've seen this film about 20 times, I used to love it as a kid I even wrote an essay on it, the truck was cool especially the gadgets.I saw it a couple of months ago and It wasn't that good, oh well at least I have my memories.

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.