Space Truckers

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Space Truckers is available in the US on Amazon Prime Video and fuboTV, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video right now. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 5/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Watch it for Dennis Hopper — stay for everyone else around them. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

There is a reason Space Truckers keeps coming up in conversation. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Space Truckers from the crowd. John Canyon is one of the last independent space transport entrepreneurs. Rough times force him to carry suspicious cargo to Earth without questions being asked. During the flight the cargo turns out to be a multitude of unstoppable killer robots. Dennis Hopper and Stephen Dorff lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1996. What keeps Space Truckers from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Space Truckers is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Dennis Hopper's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.