Killdozer! (1974) is a movie that somehow manages to waste one of the more intriguing concepts you could think of: a bulldozer possessed by an alien entity. Based on Theodore Sturgeon’s 1944 novella, this made-for-TV science-fiction horror film should have been a taut, thrilling ride of man versus machine—but instead, it’s a tedious, clumsy mess that drags its feet through a series of poorly executed set pieces and melodramatic moments.
The plot kicks off with a meteorite crashing into an island off the coast of Africa, where it’s left to be forgotten by time, buried under the island’s natural elements. Years later, a group of construction workers arrive to build an airstrip for an oil company, and as you’d expect, they start messing around with the meteorite, which somehow possesses a bulldozer, making it a homicidal machine bent on killing everyone in its path. The concept alone is rich with potential—an inanimate object turning into an unstoppable force of destruction—but the film never gets the memo. Instead of creating an atmosphere of creeping dread, we’re left with a series of bizarrely unexciting confrontations between the workers and the titular bulldozer.
Clint Walker, playing the lead role of foreman Kelly, is about as charismatic as a fence post. His character is a recovering alcoholic who’s been given a final chance at redemption, but his performance is stiff and lacks the kind of emotional depth needed to make his struggle compelling. His inner conflict about redeeming himself is supposed to be a key emotional arc, but it never feels earned. The rest of the cast—Carl Betz as Dennis, Neville Brand as the mechanic Chub, and the rest of the crew—are similarly forgettable, with none of them giving performances that elevate the film. Even in a low-budget TV movie, you’d expect a little more nuance, but these characters feel like they’re reading from a script rather than living in the story.
The bulldozer itself, which should be the star of the film, is surprisingly unthreatening. It’s hard to get worked up about a machine that lumbers around slowly, making strange noises, and occasionally running people over. The idea that the bulldozer is possessed by an alien entity is never properly explored or explained, leaving it to function more as an inconvenient plot device than a credible villain. The filmmakers try to make it seem menacing by having the bulldozer “hunt” the workers, but it’s more comical than scary. It’s like watching an angry toddler chase after its toys, except the toys happen to be grown men, and the toddler is a mechanical monstrosity with no real personality or drive.
The movie also suffers from pacing issues. The entire premise hinges on the suspense of the workers being hunted by this possessed bulldozer, but it’s dragged out with long stretches of filler, including drawn-out conversations between the characters about their personal issues, the island, and what to do next. These scenes aren’t particularly interesting or well-written, so instead of building suspense, they only drag the film down further. The action that should come from the bulldozer’s rampage is equally lackluster, with the film relying too heavily on static shots of the machine and an oddly slow-moving plot.
The final act, where Kelly and Dennis try to come up with a way to stop the bulldozer, should be the climactic, tension-filled showdown. Instead, it’s a drawn-out sequence of clunky ideas—such as electrocuting the bulldozer—that feel more like a desperate attempt to salvage a failing plot than a satisfying conclusion to a horror film. The film’s resolution is equally unsatisfying. The villainous bulldozer is destroyed in a lackluster and anticlimactic manner, leaving the audience with a sense of “that’s it?” rather than relief or satisfaction.
Visually, Killdozer! is as uninspired as its plot. The island setting, meant to evoke a sense of isolation, is barely utilized, and the cinematography does nothing to elevate the material. The bulldozer, which should have been an intimidating presence, is filmed in such a way that it feels more like an oversized toy than a dangerous machine. The special effects are minimal and underwhelming, failing to capture the tension or thrills that such a concept could have provided. The soundtrack is forgettable, with no musical cues standing out or adding to the atmosphere.
In the end, Killdozer! is a film that squanders its intriguing premise by failing to execute on any level. The characters are flat, the pacing is glacial, and the bulldozer itself is more of a nuisance than a threat. It’s a slow, meandering film that never quite finds its footing, and by the time it stumbles to the finish line, you’re left wondering how such a simple concept could have been so poorly handled. If you’re in the mood for a movie about a possessed bulldozer, there are probably more interesting ways to pass the time than watching this overstuffed, underwhelming bore.
