I love this movie so much

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

Looking for a low-budget diversion packed with plenty of action, some beautiful scenery, and a pretty cool truck, then look no further than this New Zealand film from the early 80s. Though the budget is tiny, and the story seems derivative, there is enough here to hold your interest if you are into post-apocalyptic Mad Max type of stuff. The early 80s produced many, many low-budget films of this type, but nobody else, not even the Gibson franchise had THE BATTLETRUCK! The plot is familiar enough. We have a "not-so-distant" future where society has basically collapsed. A ham radio broadcast during the opening frames basically sets the table. Cities have collapsed, oil is increasingly scarce, and many people have migrated to the countryside to escape the urban chaos. However, there is no viable law enforcement outside of the cities, and its survival of the fittest. Some have adapted to commune style, ag-based living. Some, like our hero Mr. Hunter have found a way to live independently, using methane-based technology to remain mobile and self-sufficient. And then you have our villain... Mr. Straker. He is some would be military-style tyrannical dictator whose army of twenty or more pillage the countryside. It is they who drive the battletruck, and nobody can dare stand up to it with its weapons and technology. Its a shame this truck belongs to the bad guys, since that only ensures its later demise in a scene very reminiscent to the conclusion of Spielberg's Duel. The acting isn't bad at all. Michael Beck as the anti-hero Hunter plays his character with the kind of stoic toughness and resourcefulness he showed in The Warriors. He does well here. James Wainwright, as the villain steals the show, however. Maybe only the battletruck itself is more memorable. He plays the role with a sadistic overconfidence. An aloofness complete with a twinkle in his eye reminiscent of the late David Carradine. He had the chops to have done more than he did. Anne Mcenroe is better here than she was in The Howling II, but that isn't saying much. She does OK as the damsel in distress. And how about John Ratzenberger? Mostly known for his role on Cheers, think of his film career for a moment. Between 1980 and 1983 he appeared in the following films: Empire Strikes Back, Motel Hell, Reds, Battletruck, Outland, Firefox and Gandhi!! Wow! Who was his agent back then? Did he turn anything down?? Also starring here is the beautiful New Zealand countryside. This area they filmed in kinda looks like Utah in the wintertime. Rugged and pristine. The film is well-paced, and not really preachy in terms of environmentalism, but the message is clear. The human race's dependence on fossil fuels has always led to conflict, and could one day cause a societal collapse. Maybe. Hope it doesn't happen in my lifetime! I don't want the battletruck coming after me! 7 of 10 stars.The Hound.

Now i remember seeing this film on late night television for the first time when i was around ten years old. I remember loving it then, mainly for the action and thinking the main character of Hunter was cool (he rode a kick-a** motorcycle). As i grew older i always remembered this movie and tried tracking a copy down to no avail. I always. Remembered the sweet title ; "warlords of the 21st century. Well to my surprise and great delight i found this title under a different title of "Battletruck". I had to pick it up! Now i've read plenty of reviews who put this movie down. I honestly don't know what else they would want or expect from a low budget action/sci-fi film. I've seen multi million dollar Hollywood films that were not as entertaining as this film. Its a highly entertaining good versus evil film, and it was just as magical and great as i remembered from my childhood. This is simply one mans opinion, I'm a huge nerd for independent films. All i can say is that if you too like me are a sap for low budget independent cinema you cannot go wrong with "Warlords of the 21st Century (aka Battletruck)". Check it out, hope you enjoy!

Another post-apocalyptic sci-fi, recently released on a DVD alongside Deathsport. Likewise, this one is very lowly rated (4.1 at the moment). I can understand that about Deathsport, but I think Battletruck (aka Warlords of the 21st Century) is downright good. I think the problem is that it's very similar to George Miller's The Road Warrior. Some IMDb reviewers even refer to it as a rip-off, but it was being made before The Road Warrior was ever even released, and, at least in most places, it was released almost at the exact same time (in the U.S. both were released in April of 1982). Compared to The Road Warrior, okay, Battletruck isn't nearly as good. But I won't hold that against it. The Road Warrior is all kinds of awesome. Battletruck is merely good, with a less ambitious story, though still probably too ambitious to completely succeed with the small budget it had. But still, it's pretty good. Michael Beck of The Warriors stars (though he doesn't appear for a good while into the film, which is a cool touch) as a lone wolf in this post-apocalyptic wasteland. He rescues Annie McEnroe (a character actress whom you might recognize from Beetlejuice and many other films), who has escaped her villain father (James Wainwright), but is left stranded in the middle of nowhere. Wainwright drives around in the titular truck raiding whatever settlements he can find and stealing all the oil and gasoline he can find. Beck takes McEnroe to a democratic settlement called Clearwater (among whose citizens is John Ratzenberger, who probably has more lines in this movie than any other before he started working with Pixar). They aren't all too trusting of Beck, who does some business with Clearwater but lives out on his own somewhere, and some of the citizens fear McEnroe's presence. That proves insightful when Wainwright comes along looking for her (and fuel). The action sequences in the film are well done, and the scenery is nice (it was filmed in New Zealand). Too bad it was shot in Academy ratio (or perhaps only still exists in that format).

If this is the "benchmark" for putrid movies as one reviewer laughably suggests, where does that leave HEAVEN'S GATE, SHOWGIRLS, ROBOT MONSTER, MONSTROSITY, DRACULA'S LAST RITES, THE ISLAND, THE SAINT, EVE OF DESTRUCTION, ALIEN 2, ALIEN RESURRECTION??? to name but 10!This is an energetic, low budget little NZ actioner. It's ONLY similarity to MAD MAX is the post apocalyptic oil-less future! Cockliss does pretty well within the constraints heaped upon him. I rather like NZ films - they tend to exude they're own unique little aura, much like Canadian flicks. Pretty much known as BATTLETRUCK everywhere (smewhat understandable - who wants to refer to a flick as WARLORDS OF THE 21ST CENTURY?) the film rips along quite nicely. No denying, the BATTLETRUCK of the title is one mean mother of a four-wheeled monstrosity. Definitely, the way to go in gridlock!Hero Hunter (Beck) rides his own mean "Street Hawkmobile" and despite being shot pretty much through the heart with an arrow, is able to get straight back on to his dirt-bike extraordinaire and take it up to warlord Straker who looks suspiciously like a reject from a STEVEN SEAGAL movie!The DUELesque ending is superbly done - shot from the almost identical angles that Spielberg used. It is equally impressive!If this is the crappiest movie ever made, then pigs already fly! The film is a "6" no question! Kinda left field and semi-haunting music too, reminiscent of Tangerine Dream's work in the aforementioned STREET HAWK.