Made for TV but proved Steven Spielberg has got what it takes in the future for either Sharks or dinosaurs.
This has got to be one of the best suspense films I have ever seen and some of the camera work is stunning.
Dennis Weaver does a great job of playing a light hearted man who becomes completely broken by the end.
How can you tell this was made for TV?
The truck didn't blow up.
Who was driving the truck?
I reckon it was The Stig (before Top Gear). Hence why we never saw his face in the show.
A fantastic roller coaster ride of a film that never tires.

A man gets chased by a big truck. That's it. And it's absolutely stunning. Probably my second favourite Spielberg film, alongside Saving Private Ryan.

One question: was Chuck Norris driving that truck or something?

Love the simplicity, but was not a fan of the lead actor, or the use of voice over.

It's rare that a TV movie comes close to reaching cinematic brilliance, but this is definitely one of those films. I forgot it even was a tv movie while watching it. It's that good. Top notch acting. Impressive direction. Great cinematography. Chillingly intense atmosphere and suspense. Even in his first film, Steven Spielberg shows such amazing talent and potential. Ranks up there with some of his later classic films.

Without pretense, this might be my new favorite Spielberg film. At the very least the way it deals with failed masculinity has spurred a larger idea for a paper/conference presentation.

http://cinemalacrum.blogspot.com/2013/06/there-you-are-right-back-in-jungle.html

This is a tough one to rate. I'm giving it
3 stars because I don't think I could watch it a bunch of times, but for such a simple plot it's very well made and suspenseful. It's basically some back roads road rage before road rage was a thing. It works in large part due to how it's shot. The POV shots and various shots from inside the vehicles make you feel the tension. It gives you a real sense of how you might feel in a similar situation. You gotta give Spielberg credit because he does a lot with very little here.

can you believe Spielberg was twenty freakin' five when he made this?! the thing plays like it is made by a guy at the height of his career.
you can see him working out a style that will later show up clearly in Jaws and throughout his entire filmography. just goes to show Spielberg is always better when he has LESS to work with. i always think when that guy's imagination goes off the charts with the help of technology things get a little jumbled. here, much like Jaws, he has just a few characters and a slightly unknown single scary threat. that stuff works.
overall, this movie is hot. it takes off running at a fast pace and never slows down. the voice over stuff is a little awkward but it ruins nothing. great stuff.

Awesome 70's carsploitation film. Not much too it, but that's the fun.

The Good: Dennis Weaver carries the film as an average joe tormented by a psychotic truck driver. Impressive camera work. Well-executed chase sequences. The thrilling final act. The slo-mo crash scene.

The Bad: Would've been perfect as a short film. Could've done without the internal monologues (but I guess keeping it wordless would've been a risky move for a TV movie back then). Many obvious gaffes wherein the crew and equipment are visible.

The Bottom Line: You know, if our protagonist had a cell phone, we wouldn't have a movie. Oh, technology... Solid feature-length debut by Spielberg. Worth a look.

Fun movie. m&d.

Ein Autofahrer erdreistet sich einen Tanklastzug zu überholen, was dessen Fahrer als Herausforderung verstehen will und deswegen dem PKW-Fahrer ein mörderischem Duel, auf dem einsamen, amerikanischen Highway aufnötigt.

Spannender, erster Spielfilm von Steven Spielberg.

"I'm the night man!"

Some 'crisis of masculinity' hogwash pasted onto ruthlessly efficient suspense filmmaking. At the beginning of his career, Spielberg was already the best builder of action sequences on Hollywood.