Rolling Vengeance (1987) User Reviews (28)

A fun if formulaic flick

[I_Ailurophile · 7/10 · 7 February 2023]

Under the right circumstances it seems anything can be twisted into an exploitation flick, even trucking. Save for that it's less of a major production, and distinctly more coarse and seedy in its violence and writing, this feels like something Patrick Swayze might have made in his prime (think 'Road house' or 'Black dog'). There are no major surprises here: the protagonist and his allies are very sympathetic, while the antagonists are absolutely despicable and we're glad to see them get their just desserts. From start to finish the drama is extra heavy and drawn out for emphasis, and the action sequences may be extra nasty. We get second-tier rock songs in the soundtrack, gratuitous nudity in the camera's eye, and a love scene, because of course. The somewhat cloudy production values and sound design certainly reflect that this is an 80s flick, as do the special effects - above all the specialized vehicle at the core of the film. 'Rolling vengeance' is pretty much exactly what one expects based on the premise, and all that's left is for the viewer to decide whether or not that's something that meets their tastes in cinema.

No, this isn't necessarily anything special. It fits neatly into the same mold of revenge movies and exploitation flicks as countless others; filmmaker Steven Hilliard Stern and screenwriter Michael Thomas Montgomery have nailed the formula to a perfect T. If not for the protagonist's personalized ride, this could be mistaken for any of its kin. Yet for all that, it's also pretty solidly made across the board. Dialogue, scene writing, characters, and the narrative are all written fairly well, with story beats more measured out than I assumed; I disagree with some specific choices that were made, but shots and scenes are orchestrated well. Laszlo George's cinematography, Ron Wisman's editing, and Phil Marshall's original music are all swell as far as I'm concerned. The acting is nothing remarkable, but the cast all fill their roles well, and I've no notes from one player to the next. And the crew turned in fine work all around, including the production design that dresses up splendid filming locations. Perhaps most importantly for a title such as 'Rolling vengeance,' all the stunts, effects, and action sequences are superbly executed, arguably fostering more earnest excitement than one might suppose. The very design of the vehicular centerpiece is rather clever, for that matter - and hey, credit where it's due, in some small part the climax takes a turn I didn't anticipate, and it's executed well.

There's a certain lack of nuance in the writing and direction, to the point that some instances seem especially over the top or out of place. That includes little character moments, particular scenes, or the acting at large at some points, made more glaring one way or another for the fact of the tried and true narrative mold that the feature fits into. But then again, this is a movie about a monster truck vigilante, so dissecting such minutiae is probably well beside the point. All I can say is that it's suitably well made in all regards, and firmly entertaining, even if it's nothing for which to shout praises from rooftops. Among its kin this is possibly even a tad more mindful; take that as you will. There's probably no huge reason to go out of your way for this, but if you do have the chance to watch 'Rolling vengeance' and appreciate the type of fare it represents, it's a decent way to spend ninety minutes.

Rolling Thunderstorm

[sol- · 6/10 · 10 July 2017]

Distraught after the hooligans who killed his mother and sisters avoid conviction thanks to a heartless judge, a young rig driver designs a monster truck to enact revenge in this action film from Canada. The film gets off to a slow start with nearly half the duration elapsing before the trucker designs the machine, but the tension never ceases once it goes into action. The vehicle is a remarkable feat of imagination with flame throwers and a giant drill, plus the wheels of a tractor, and it is startling to watch it crush other cars (like a tank), break through walls and run people over. If all this sounds over-the-top, it is because it is, but no matter, such exaggerations fit in well with the film thematically, which is about a young man reacting in the most extreme way he knows to an adverse situation. Quality supporting turns (from Ned Beatty as the hooligans' father and Lawrence Dane as the protagonist's father) help matters too, and the film has a few acute things to say about the risks of working for scumbags - something that his father tells him is necessary, but something that also leads to the demise of half his family. The film may have worked better with the hooligans being fleshed out in further depth (they are pretty much interchangeable) but no doubt half of the film's audience will come from those in it for the truck, which is indeed great even if it only appears somewhat late.

Hits the spot for lovers of formulaic B flicks.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 17 February 2018]

Joey Rosso (Don Michael Paul) is a young independent trucker who works with his dad Big Joe (Lawrence Dane) hauling stuff for anybody and everybody. That includes even the wretched Doyle clan, because hey, work is work. But the Doyles feel compelled to show the world what sons of bitches they are. They cause an accident that claims three members of the Doyle family. Then Big Joe is badly injured in a traffic accident that they instigated. All of this, and the law seemingly cannot touch the Doyles. Well, Joey's not going to stand for this. He takes the super-duper monster truck on which he's been working, and metes out some brutal vehicular revenge.

Written by Michael Thomas Montgomery, this routine but enjoyable vengeance saga fulfills its requirements more than adequately. It establishes the Doyles as so completely vile that you are just ACHING to see them get what they deserve. Presiding over these stereotypical redneck cretins is patriarch Tiny Doyle (Ned Beatty), giving us two father figures of differing stripes in the story. Just about everything in Montgomery's script plays out as you would expect it to, if you've ever seen other movies like this. It doesn't just push buttons, but takes a sledgehammer to them.

Of course, the real "star" is the title monster truck, designed and operated by Michael Welch. When it first makes an appearance, it's a cheer-worthy moment. And the relentless onslaught of vehicular carnage is fun, although there's no gore to speak of, and thereby offend some potential viewers.

Paul, who went on to an interesting career as screenwriter ("Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man") and director ("Half Past Dead", "Tremors 5"), is a perfectly serviceable protagonist. You definitely sympathize with this guy. Dane has a warm and wonderful presence, and Beatty (other than Paul, the only token American in the cast) is pretty good. Lisa Howard is appealing as Joey's sweet girlfriend; look for familiar Canadian actors such as Susan Hogan ("The Brood"), Michael J. Reynolds ("Visiting Hours"), and Leslie Carlson ("Videodrome") in supporting roles and bits.

All in all, this is pretty damn good for this kind of action fare. Ideal viewing if you love trucks and just want to put your brain in neutral for just over 92 minutes.

Seven out of 10.

Bigfoot on steroids.

[Backlash007 · 20 October 2002]

Rolling Vengeance (along with The Pit) is one the most unintentionally hilarious flicks I've ever witnessed. Don Michael Paul plays Joey Russo, a young trucker whose entire family is killed by Ned Beatty's idiot offspring. This is what I think happened: After Beatty was raped in Deliverance, these are the b*****d children he went on to have. Beatty is the highlight of the film, next to the monster truck, but I'll get to that in a moment. He absolutely cracks me up and he's way over the top with his all black outfit, leather jacket, slicked back hair, and one tooth missing. He's ridiculous. Back to the story, Joey decides to take revenge on the ultimate hillbillies in one of the most extreme ways ever. He constructs a monster truck of epic proportions, it's Bigfoot on steroids and it wreaks major havoc on the rednecks from hell. Check this one out if you like your cheese thick and your corn corny.

Monster Truck Revenge Show

[ElijahCSkuggs · 4/10 · 8 December 2007]

Well since the plot line on the Title page actually ruins the movie for you, I don't have to tell you what the movie's about. But what you have here is a below average revenge flick. As you know, the family dies, the girlfriend gets raped and youngun decides the best idea is to build a monster truck and run over all the baddies. Well, unfortunately there's really nothing cool about this flick. There are a couple neat stunt scenes with dudes in the back of a pick up truck, and those actually outshine the monster truck stunts. I've never seen monster truck rally live before, but I've seen a few on TV....not the whole thing. So pretty much I'm "if you've seen one monster truck run over a car, you've seen them all" type a guy. And that's a problem with this movie, you'd expect at least some unique monster truck action. Maybe even some stunts where they take off like in the rallys....nope, just slowly running over some cars, or showing the truck in slow-mo crashing through stuff. Besides the monster truck scenes being unimpressive, you also have a bunch of characters that just don't do it for ya either. Ned Beatty is probably the best in the group, just because he's playing a bad guy. And he still kinda sucked. His "sons" all stunk, not even any cheesy laughs or anything. That was the worst problem with this flick, the cheese factor never rose above a certain level to make it "cheesy-funny". It was just cheesy-bland. A damn shame too, since Rolling Vengeance had so much potential. But hey, it's not a bad movie at all, it rolls along at a decent pace and you even get to see some stripper boobies. But if you're expecting something special, neh, sorry. Rolling Vengeance ain't a flat tire, but it certainly ain't a Suped-Up beamer neither. It's more like a 1992 Honda Accord.

Entertaining despite the familiarity .......

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 21 June 2019]

"Death Wish" like revenge flick with a "monster truck" as the weapon. After most of his family is killed by Ned Beatty and his "knuckle dragging" offspring, the surviving Father and Son seek revenge on Beatty and all out war ensues. The battle is not without casualties on both sides. The Father winds up on his death bed in the local hospital, and our hero's girlfriend is gang raped. Out comes the weapon of choice "monster truck", which flattens Beatty's car lot inventory in short order, and then proceeds to crush four brothers who obviously could barely write their name in the sand with a stick. The final confrontation destroys Beatty's bar and miraculously gives our hero a scapegoat, and a"Death Wish" type ending. - MERK

A "vigilante trucker" gets his revenge.

[Idiot-Deluxe · 5/10 · 20 December 2016]

"Don't muck with an 18-wheel trucker!!!!!" Oh, sorry, good tag-line, but for the wrong movie.

Having seen it twice, I can tell you that this low-budget flick from the 80's is a fun one - provided you keep your expectations modest. Rolling Vengeance is a story about a young trucker, who after being spurned by the justice system, deals out his brand of vengeance upon those who murdered his entire family. This economically-shot revenge flick certainly has it's shinning moments, mostly in the form of sweet "mechanized" revenge; but before that can happen there's a little back story. Joey Rosso is a young trucker that's learning the ropes of the trade and he yearns and aspires to be just like his old man Big Joe Rosso and he is well on his way to attaining the status of Pro-Trucker - unfortunately for him, there's trouble up ahead - just around bend!

The Rosso boy's are employed by a certain smarmy, used-car salesman and bar owner by the name of Tiny Doyle, who along with his five low-down, bottom-of-the-gene-pool sons, run a prosperous strip-bar called "Tiny's Dance". It's the job of the Rosso's to truck in the liquor at Tiny's place and well it's simply a very contentious relationship between the two sides, that plus alcohol and a pick-up truck, all tragically serve to shape the plot and what's left of the Doyle clans future. Taken to court and found "not guilty" of vehicular manslaughter, the Rosso's naturally feel cheated by the justice system, shortly there after a bar brawl at Tiny's joint ignites a full fledged feud, one that pits the Rosso's vs the Doyle's and more murder and mayhem is primed and waiting.

Soon afterwards the Doyle's take out Big Joe with an aerial assault of cinder blocks and in light of this most recent outrage it pushes junior over-the-edge and swears vengeance, as Big Joe lay's comatose. It's through here that the movie briefly takes on a certain MacGyver-like quality, as junior Rosso gets down to business in enacting his quest for justice - vigilant justice. Scrounging around in the local junkyards, Joey finds the part's for his avenging "rig" of destruction and gets down to it - with wrench and blow-torch he literally builds a one-of-a-kind, flame-spewing, monstertruck. With his rig complete and the Doyle clan in his cross-hairs, Joey Rosso wastes no time in enacting - ROLLING VENGEANCE! And as it turns out, two-by-two, the Doyle's do fall.

At first Joey's MO is clearly set in the form of an avenging, fire-spewing, war-rig of destruction in the night and soon he begins to lay the hurt on the despicable Doyle's, loudly and very effectively. On the first night it's the destruction of Tiny's used-car business - and the Doyle's DO notice this, but then on the very next night Joey Rosso (Mr. Rolling Venegance himself) ups the ante big-time and as I said, the Doyles begin to fall, as murder ensues - out in the back-country. Murder it is, but more specifically, it's vehicular-homicide of the most inspired kind - who's victims could NOT be more guilty or more deserved of the fiery, hell-bent, brand of mechanized vigilante justice that Joey Rosso has in store for them. In other words - their in a world of trouble.

After the first batch of Doyle's are dispatched the stakes are raised, when a couple of drunken Doyle's are out at Joey's place, looking and listening for clues, in an effort to find the answers to who's been causing them all the bad luck lately. Turn's out Joey's not home - but his pretty girlfriend "Misty" unfortunately show's up looking for him, seeing an opportunity the Doyle boy's pounce like laughing hyena's and proceed to rape her. NOW JOEY'S REALLY PISSSED and his brazenness is increased ten-fold, as he unleashes his Rolling Vengeance in broad daylight! What starts as a chase in a corn field, ends in an inspired chase to the death in a large warehouse - and suddenly there's just two Doyle's left and more vengeance is bound to come rolling their way soon.

The sheriff is well aware of what's going on and has more than a hunch of who's behind all the killings, but since the Doyle's are such slime, he's intent on taking his time investigating the matter. Cut back to the hospital, where Big Joe linger's in a coma, the sheriff finds Joey and does some "light questioning", however other events interrupt this, as Big Joe dies and Misty walks in further complicating things. As night falls Joey once again gets back to his work, Rolling Vengeance ends in a spectacularly destructive finale at Tiny's Dance and with the help of the sheriff they slay the king rat, Tiny Doyle and his last remaining son. Misty shows up once again and predictably she wastes no time in getting in the way and she's very nearly gets drilled again, but in a VERY different sort of way.

Ned Beatty's performance is simply the best of the lot and with his combination of comb-over, black leather jacket and a missing tooth, he play's his character with style, as the loathsomely smarmy, Tiny Doyle - ruler and patriarch of the Doyle clan. I find his performance to be terrifically entertaining and wish he'd played a similar role in a movie with a much bigger budget, I think the results would have been even more inspired. Rolling Vengeance is very much a "taking-out-the-trash" type of movie, which were extremely popular in the 80's.

Anyway, once it all said and done the young trucker gets his revenge......

We need more potatoes......

[FlashCallahan · 6/10 · 12 November 2011]

The six drunken sons of influential local business owner Tiny Doyle have been terrorising the streets of their small town in their pick-up truck.

Local trucker Big Joe Rosso has a wife named Kathy, a son named Joey, and two young daughters named Allison and Kristin.

Big Joe and Joey do business with Tiny, delivering liquor to his bar, but that doesn't stop Tiny's son Vic from driving drunk and running Kathy off the road, killing Kathy, Allison, and Kristin.

Thanks to Tiny's influence, the local judge sets Vic free after ordering Vic to pay a $300 fine.

Lieutenant Sly, one of the local cops, is sympathetic toward the Rosso family, but Sly is about to retire, and Tiny has a lot of clout in this town.

Enraged and bereaved, Big Joe goes after Vic, but the Doyles kill Big Joe. After that, they rape Joey's girlfriend Misty.

Enraged and frustrated, Joey builds a monster truck out of junked car and truck parts, with seven-foot tall tires, a flame thrower, and a giant retractable combination drill and metal cutter mounted on it.

Joey is out to do what the local authorities cannot or will not do...put an end to the Doyles once and for all.

From the eighties, comes the best Monster Truck revenge film ever made, with Ned Beatty.

It's basically your average revenge flick, with the star looking like a cross between Kiefer Sutherland and James Van Der Beek, putting in an okay performance of one of the most unluckiest kids alive.

He lives in the worlds smallest town, there is only one bar, and you know his family are going to die, because when they are on screen during the first act, there is a hazy sheen to the lighting, whenever they are on screen.

He builds his monster truck, his girlfriend gets violated, so he carries on, can you blame him? It's quite a brutal film to watch, and the violence is pretty full on, but it's great to see Beatty and his band of Chainsaw Massacre alike family and him mocking them.

Forgettable, but watchable.

Just change the picture IMDb please, I feel like a redneck.

BAD monster truck movie is...well...bad!

[emm · 4/10 · 27 October 1998]

The first time you look at it, ROLLING VENGEANCE looks like it's going to be a cool picture. Sadly, movies like this do not translate well as full-length features. In addition, it suffers from the same old formula where somebody takes revenge on another and wins. An interesting point about the movie is that our lead character is in a no-win situation against both the criminal and the law, but our revengeful modern age prince saves the day as usual! Those who enjoy watching monster trucks do some killer stunts just like at the arena will be greatly discouraged. There's nothing special in the world other than just a cookie-cutter action movie.

This movie is good for a laugh.

[Ryan N. · 6/10 · 21 July 1999]

This movie must be enjoyed in the same manner as The Phantom Menace. It is badly written and badly acted but offers tons of deliciously implausible violence.

Keep on Trucking

[pytremblay · 2/10 · 9 January 2001]

The story is simple. A bunch of redneck terrorize the streets of their town with their pick up. They accidentally kill a women with her two children. Her husband wants revenge, they kill him too. But the family prodigal son wants revenge too, he build a monstertruck, and he plants to kill the rednecks who murder his family. The rest of the movie is a mixt of bar fights, car chase and bigfoot carnage. The action scene are really weak and the acting is even worse. However, the characters are funny, we have a topless bar owner and his beer drinking redneck truck driver sons, a good father and his truck driver prodigal son. If you like trucks, beer, shotgun, topless dancers, trucks and bar fight you'll love this movie. If you don't, try to avoid Rolling Vengeance.

The Greatest Monster Truck Story Ever Told

[Schabe · 9/10 · 6 September 1999]

I *loved* this film. It's a classic, universal story -- the story of a young man named Joey whose entire family is killed by Ned Beatty's mentally retarded offspring. Unable to cope with his feelings of loss and helplessness, Joey makes a decision we can all sympathize with. He builds a gigantic, flame-spouting tank with 7' tires and proceeds to take revenge on those who have wronged him, as well as their vehicles and buildings.

The vehicle itself is impressive -- it's not just a pickup truck on huge tires, it's a wholly scrap-built "Mad Max" battlewagon. It carries a gigantic retractable drill/metal cutter on its front bumper, apparently scavenged from some gratuitously suggestive metal-rendering machinery. There's a great scene involving the drill, a drainage pipe, and the protaganist's girlfriend that conjures echoes of Tetsuo, the Iron Man.

The thing that surprised me most was the acting. Let me make this clear -- the script is awful, a tissue-thin vehicle intended to carry the film from one scene of gasoline-fueled mayhem to the next. Yet, this cast of mostly unknown actors all rise far above the occasion, adding unexpected dimension to a movie that's really all about the sound of crunching metal and breaking glass. Ned Beatty, the sole recognizable name in the lineup, delivers a stellar performance as an aging greaser and single parent, trying to protect his quasi-legal business interests and his fetal-alcohol-syndrome afflicted bastard children as they are crushed one by one under the wheels of a vengeance-crazed truck driver. Even the weepy girlfriend and the one-day-before-retirement county sherrif are played as low-key, believable characters.

So, there you have it. Rolling Vengeance -- a timeless story of tragedy, family, and monster trucks. See it with someone you love, and a case of cheap beer.

Big wheels keep on turning, sweet revenge keeps on burning!

[Coventry · 6/10 · 19 September 2023]

Even if you are only slightly familiar with revenge movies from the 70s and 80s, then you must know the drill. A gentle, hard-working man sees his beloved family members raped and/or killed by a bunch of ruthless thugs or sneering rednecks. When subsequently the innocent are humiliated in court and the rednecks acquitted due to procedural errors or lack of evidence, the good All-American working class man's mind snaps and he turns into a stone-cold avenger.

Usually, these avenging angels arm themselves to the teeth, but trucker son Joey Russo is more creative. He builds an enormous monster truck from leftover and spare parts and literally waltzes over the redneck family that wronged him!

This "Death Wish on wheels" is very formulaic, like many other reviewers already pointed out, but it offers plenty of fun. It features annoying 80s clichés, including dreadfully romantic interludes/collages guided by sappy music, but also hilarious moments like the crushing of an entire used cars' park. The Doyle redneck family is also one you'll love to hate, with a notably awesome role for Ned Beatty as the yelling, whiskey-drinking and mashed potato throwing patriarch. Lead actor Don Michael Paul is nowadays mainly a director, and the made the very entertaining "Tremors" sequels, for example.

Rolling down the highway but going nowhere

[movieman_kev · 3/10 · 21 February 2005]

After his family is murdered, a young man deals out vengeance the only way he knows how, with a home-made monster truck. A lot of good stuff start with Rolling. "Rolling Thunder" was a good film, Rolling Rock beer, the Rolling Stones... um have I mentioned Rolling Rock yet? Probably, I'm an alcoholic like any good Irish Boy. The point is this, sometimes Rolling thing arn't so good. Such is the case for "Rolling Vengeance". It wants to be a good revenge flick, really it does. But it just all seems silly and lame. Not even good when one's drunk off of say, a few 6 packs of Rolling Rock.

My Grade: D

Where I saw it: FLIX

Eye Candy: a few strippers

A really bad monster truck action movie

[rimmer-8 · 22 October 1998]

I hope that most Canadian films aren't as bad as this one. It is about a truck driver whose whole family was killed (not all at once) by a Family of Stereotypical drunk hicks who were for some reason found innocent in court. The truck driver (Instead of doing something easy like shooting them all with a shotgun)constructs a Monster truck from parts that he finds in a junk yard to avenge his family's death. This movie has no satisfaction to offer anyone, unless you like watching the hero's girlfriend get raped by inbred, gravy eating hillbillies.

Monster truck revenge

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 29 July 2019]

The first time I saw the trailer for this movie, I knew that it was exactly the kind of movie that I was looking for. I strongly believe that most movies would be better if they had a sax-driven montage where monster truck death machines were assembled.

It was directed by Steven Hilliard Stern, who also was behind The Park Is Mine, Mazes and Monsters and the Still the Beaver TV movie.

The five drunken lout sons of strip club owner Tiny Doyle (Ned Beatty, who legally must be in every redneck movie) rule the streets of an unnamed small Southern town. One of them, Vic, gets drunk and runs Big Joe Russo's wife Kathy (Susan Hogan, The Brood) off the wrote, killing her and their two daughters. All he gets is a $300 fine.

Big Joe goes after Vic, but the Doyle family kill him and assault his son Joey's girlfriend Misty. That's when Joey does whatever you and I would do - he builds that monster truck with a flamethrower, a drill and a metal cutter and goes off on everyone who has wronged him.

If you love monster trucks smashing cars, then I can't recommend this movie enough to you.

You know what they say about vehicular-based revenge. Get two parking spaces.

if you don't like the movie, i'll drive a monster truck through your house.

[bjw414 · 3/10 · 15 September 2023]

It wasn't made to be a good movie.

If you like revenge movies and monster trucks, it could be entertaining.

It's at youtube.

The characters are 1 dimensional.

• big joe & joey rosso: father & son truckers

• kathy, alison, kristin: joey's mom & sisters

• misty: joey's girlfriend.

• tiny: '50s greaser, owns a bar / used car lot.

• tiny's sons: hillbillies who cause problems for the rossos and misty.

Ned beatty is the best actor in the movie. I haven't seen the other actors, except lawrence dane.

I liked when the monster truck crushed cars and buildings. But i didn't like the killing. ~ 10 people are killed, including a woman & kids.

Have a happy retirement.

[lastliberal · 6/10 · 14 August 2010]

There is nothing that does my heart better than seeing rednecks get what they deserve. If it was up to me, they would be deported to Afghanistan. Unfortunately, it is only in movies like this that we get the vicarious thrill we hope for.

I can't imagine this movie getting funnier than seeing Ned Beatty trying to look like the Fonz with a bad haircut. It was definitely a treat.

When Misty (Lisa Howard) gets raped, then we know the action is going to be ramped up to the level that will really thrill us. A monster truck smashing stars and bars. Opp! There's a redneck wearing them on his t shirt.

Super 80's Cheese will Rock your BRAIN!

[FacemeltingFilms · 10/10 · 1 May 2011]

TV movies were never a big deal to me. I always assumed since it's on TV it can't be that badass. There are no boobies and no gore so why bother, right? Well Rolling Vengeance has taught me a thing or two about TV movies. Apparently they can be brutal! Joey and Big Joe Rosso are an all American father son trucking team who happen to be unfortunate enough to deliver booze to the local strip club. The club is run by Tiny Doyle and his four sons who harass the public and cause a general disturbance to everyone in a half mile radius. One day while drunk driving they decided to play chicken with Big Joe Rosso's wife and two daughters. When chicken goes wrong the wife and kids are killed and the rednecks get off scot-free. Enraged, Little Joey decides to get his revenge one way or another.

The sheer brutality of the mother and two daughters dying in the first half of the film is only the beginning. As we move on we see the father put in a coma and the girlfriend raped. For a made for TV movie this sure has some balls! The only thing that really holds back the film is how ridiculously mean Tiny Doyle and the Doyle brothers are. In the court case, after getting off free of killing a mans wife and two children, they stand outside the courthouse to make fun of him! Then they drop cinderblocks on his truck! Maybe I'm not from the country and don't realize what people are like out there but is anyone that mean? Ned Beatty doesn't really pull off the badass father figure either. The first time we see him he's wearing a 50's leather jacket and he looks like that old guy at the club no one talks to.

As far as revenge films go Rolling Vengeance goes on the top of my list. The first half of the film would put it their alone. When you find out Little Joey Rosso has been building the biggest, meanest monster truck this side of Kentucky this movie will move right up to your favorites. Watching Joey roll over half the town in his 80's montage themed monster invention is to 80's what chicken is to waffles! You gotta love it.

A perfect combination of The Exterminator, Death Wish and Dirty Harry

[vicvega24 · 10/10 · 2 May 2022]

This movie will always be my childhood. Used to have this movie on a VHS distributed by Village Roadshow Home Video with the golden logo. Really loved the action-pack delivery it was brought to the table. Criminally underrated flick with cheesy quotes, underrated villains and more.

Not as bad as the people are saying!

[utahman1971 · 10/10 · 28 August 2017]

People say it is bad, but really isn't must be the relatives of the drunk kids. Jeez, I liked it a lot and I am not really into trucker movies or rednecks. So must be a redneck to not like it. I am not. Oh well, you either hate it or love it.

I love it, and thought it was okay, but missed after watching the first half hour and then did other things. Now, catching it again and watching it all the way through on television, and all I can say is, that it is a great and awesome revenge movie.

I think this site sucks because the ratings on here suck from bad reviewers, and this site lets the bad reviews in. No forcing of ratings, just people making things up to ruin the ratings. I will enjoy it while others complain about it.

People are so picky about movies, it's pathetic.

Frankentruck!

[GOWBTW · 8/10 · 17 July 2017]

What do you do when the law is not on your side? You build a monster truck and teach these bullies a lesson. That's just the case in "Rolling Vengeance". A father and son trucking team deliveries liquor to a bar owner name Tiny Doyle(Ned Beatty). He has 5 sons who run rampant through the town: Driving drunk, running people off the road. They killed the trucker's wife and daughters. He would go after the person responsible after a technicality in court. He too would end up losing his life. Joey Rosso (Don Michael Paul) would get extreme by building a monster truck consisting of parts from a junkyard. He takes it on its first test drive after the first two brothers when they attacked another trucker. The van was totaled on the encounter. Before that, Joey used the truck to turn Tiny's used car lot in a junkyard. Tiny's next two sons were next after they raped Joey's girlfriend Misty (Lisa Howard). This truck makes Bigfoot look like a normal vehicle. This movie is for truck lovers. It's not for everyone. I wouldn't put this movie down. It could use more scenes to make it fun. But it was fine for me. 2.5 out of 5 stars

The Citizen Kane of Monster Truck Revenge Flicks

[DevastationBob-3 · 8/10 · 7 March 2010]

If there's a better monster truck revenge movie out there, please direct me to it. I caught this chopped up on cable, so some language and violence might have been cut out, but what I was left with was an entertaining movie about a young trucker who A-Teams a giant killer truck in his barn and goes after the drunken yokels what killed his family. I'm kind of surprised I'd never heard of this movie before I saw the listing and the world monster truck and revenge. Nobody immediately recognizable in it except for Ned Beatty Ben Gazarra-ing (it's a verb, look it up) as a sleazy bar owner with Wolverine hair and a pro-drunk driving policy. He's such a creep the local law enforcement don't seem to mind some phantom vehicle offing his kin, which was almost refreshing in a way for this type of genre film. The finale does fall a little flat in places though, but all in all this was an entertaining little flick that gives the visceral satisfaction of seeing bad guys ground under the wheels of a beWheemoth monster truck. Well done.

Hands down, the best Monster Truck film ever made

[pony_girl86 · 10/10 · 7 July 2007]

The Monster truck movie of all monster truck movies. After rednecks terrorize a young man and his family, he seeks revenge and boy does he get it! Using only the top equipment. This contains everything one would expect and ask for in a monster truck film: cars crushed, violence (not gory), humor (if you can't find humor in this, well, I don't know what to tell you, although there are some very sad parts), the building of Rolling Vengeance, bar fights, AND an interesting story line... Who would have thought! The truck Rolling Vengeance was built by one of the top monster truck drivers Mike Welch in 1986. You can't go wrong with this one. I would most definitely recommend this movie to anyone and everyone!

Rolling Vengeance (1987)

[jonahstewartvaughan · 8/10 · 27 June 2023]

Cult Cuts Volume 27 (Canadian Cuts/Return to the Video Store #1)

#1/4: Rolling Vengeance (1987)

(8/10): B-Movie fans and Monster Truck fans rejoice as this movie fills the void of being the most awesome Monster Truck movie.

This Canuxploitation action/revenge film is about a young man who lives with his family and delivers beer as a trucker with his dad to a local barkeep/titty bar owner who is, along with his many illegitimate sons, pretty sleazy and piggish.

After our protagonist's father shows him his new truck after getting back from work one day, the following day his mother and two younger siblings take off in the car to go to town. Being alone the illegitimate sons of the barkeep attempt to break into the car and assume mom and then begin to persue them down the road side by side when a trucker then ends the chase by accidentally striking her vehicle killing all three of them in the process.

Afterwards him and especially his father are enraged that the brothers only get off with a 300 dollar fine for driving intoxicated and were not sentenced for being the cause of their families deaths. He then goes for a drink and while there they then start a bar fight with the brothers.

The next day the brothers then drop bricks from the overpass causing a big crash and they leave the father hospitalized. After that it was the final straw, the son goes and completely remodels the truck into a Monster Truck with spewing flames, massive wheels and a drill with the intent to take them out as the law certainly won't be the ones to do so.

The biggest thing that makes this movie so great is by far the Truck itself, its completely done practically and it looks like an absolute beast and the carnage and destruction is just immaculate.

The main story is decently gripping, it's not winning any awards but it's definitely a more interesting vehicle driven escapist film than F&F, but let's not get carried away here.

It's entertaining and the film has a stronger narrative than it has any right to have but let's be honest here, we're all here for the Monster Truck.