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Battletruck

Battletruck

A science fiction adventure of the near future.

198291 minPGMidcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Director
Harley Cokeliss
Starring
Michael Beck, Annie McEnroe, James Wainwright, Bruno Lawrence

It's the 21st century, the Oil Wars have made a mess of the planet and the land outside major cities is lawless. After Hunter comes to the aid of Corlie, who has run away from the villainous Straker, he takes her to the peaceful community of Clearwater. Unfortunately for the citizens of Clearwater, Straker fully intends to get Corlie back.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Battletruck?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Battletruck streaming on Pluto TV (free), Shout! TV via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Battletruck?

Battletruck earns 2 badges, led by Award Winner and Fun.

  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Battletruck worth watching?

Battletruck's Midcredits score is the 14th percentile of all films, from 3.6K ratings across 4 sources. 24% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

14th percentile

Better received than 14% of films

25th percentile among Action14th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)18th
Approval (how many liked it)14th

50 /100

18th percentile of all films

29th percentile among Action16th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

24% liked it

14th percentile of all films

24th percentile among Action14th percentile among 1980s
24% rated it 7–1076% rated it 1–6

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 0 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

72nd percentile

3.6K ratings across platforms

59th percentile among Action68th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 45% in 30 days

Box office

BudgetNZ$1M

In New Zealand dollar, not converted to dollars.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic film built around a cool armored truck.

Fans praised

  • iconic battletruck as a menacing vehicle
  • solid action sequences and stunts
  • effective low-budget post-apocalyptic atmosphere

Detractors panned

  • derivative Mad Max 2 clone with no originality
  • slow pacing with dull stretches between action
  • weak acting and dialogue from leads

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive60

gritty post-nuke wasteland feel

CinematographyDivisive60

nice New Zealand scenery, striking truck shots

Effects and spectacleDivisive55

impressive battletruck but cheap explosions

ActingDivisive40

hammy performances, Beck adequate, villain too soft

PacingDivisive35

long dull spells between action

Plot and story30

unoriginal Mad Max ripoff, simplistic story

Dialogue30

overacted lines, monotone one-liners

Originality15

heavily derivative of Mad Max 2

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 2 points apart

Watch experience

What is Battletruck like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It is intense and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
TenseHopeful
Heaviest: middle
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsEpic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its post-apocalyptic world and action sequences earnestly, without irony.
The rideThe film maintains a tense, grim atmosphere with brief moments of hope during the alliance-building and family protection.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically with a clear setup, confrontation, and resolution.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunRousing · 10% of films
Why it leaves you this wayA straightforward, enjoyable action romp with an explosive climax.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestRescue
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

with Overcoming the monster underneath

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeHunter rescues a woman from her warlord father and leads a counterattack against his armored vehicle.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSurvivalLoyalty · 4% of films
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on a father-daughter relationship threatened by a ruthless warlord, with the protagonist driven to protect his family in a collapsed world.
StanceThe film presents the collapse of society and the fight for survival without heavy moralizing, focusing on the hero's straightforward journey.

The world

Near futureRuralWildernessIn transit
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Kevin Peek
SettingA lawless wasteland after a worldwide war.
MusicKevin Peek's score underscores the action with synthesized orchestral swells.

Content guide

Is Battletruck okay for kids?

PG

Battletruck is rated PG. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (11/100), language at moderate (50/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 1 other country
  • Germany16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Profanity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (1 vote)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (10 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Battletruck have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Battletruck?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen.

Michael Beck
as Hunter
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Annie McEnroe
as Corlie Straker
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James Wainwright
as Col. Jacob Straker
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Bruno Lawrence
as Willie
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
John Bach
as Bone
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Randy Powell
as Judd
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
John Ratzenberger
as Rusty
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Mark Hadlow
as Orrin
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Marshall Napier
as Driver
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Oona Menges
as Zoe
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Battletruck?

Movies like Battletruck include Vesper (2022), Reign of Fire (2002) and Death Race (2008). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set after the apocalypse, and most are survival thrillers.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

All 12 share its world: dystopian. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Battletruck?

635 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: dystopian. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.