Monster Trucks
A restless small-town mechanic-in-the-making discovers an oil-eating creature that transforms his homemade truck into an unlikely vehicle for friendship and escape.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- breezy
- whimsical
- family movie night
- lazy weekend
What critics said
Critics generally found the high-concept premise appealing but judged that the monsters-and-trucks concept was not developed into a compelling feature.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Tripp bonds with an oil-eating slug-like creature discovered in the scrap yard and tries to protect it from the oil company.
The creature enters the chassis of Tripp's restored truck and becomes part of its operation.
An oil company continues drilling despite evidence of an underground ecosystem and attempts to conceal what emerges.
Tripp's scrap yard, sheriff's station, family tensions, and local vehicles anchor the creature adventure in a small town.
Films like Monster Trucks, and why
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
shares a family-friendly blend of small-town adventure, comedy, youthful protagonists, and benevolent creature fantasy
The Goonies
combines adolescent friendship, eccentric creatures, light action, and upbeat Amblin-style entertainment
Pete's Dragon
features a young outsider bonding with an unusual creature while confronting adult authorities and institutional threats
Short Circuit
shares high-concept family science fiction, comic spectacle, and a creature-driven adventure aimed at younger audiences
Movie Details
- Director
- Chris Wedge
- Release Date
- 2016-12-21
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (952)
Cast
- Lucas Till
- Jane Levy
- Amy Ryan
- Rob Lowe
- Danny Glover
- Barry Pepper
- Jedidiah Goodacre
- Holt McCallany
- Frank Whaley
- Thomas Lennon
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Paramount Plus Essential
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Monster Trucks about?
- A restless small-town mechanic-in-the-making discovers an oil-eating creature that transforms his homemade truck into an unlikely vehicle for friendship and escape.
- What is Monster Trucks like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Monster Trucks as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Monster Trucks violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Monster Trucks as mild.
- What did critics think of Monster Trucks?
- Critics generally found the high-concept premise appealing but judged that the monsters-and-trucks concept was not developed into a compelling feature.
- Which films are like Monster Trucks?
- Films with a similar feel include E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, The Goonies, Pete's Dragon, and Short Circuit.
- How long is Monster Trucks?
- Monster Trucks runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Monster Trucks?
- In United States, Monster Trucks streams on Paramount Plus Essential.
