The Bikeriders

As "The Bikeriders" (2023 release; 116 min) opens, It is "Kathy interview 1965", and Kathy retells the story of how she met Benny, member of the (fictitious) Vandals motorcycle club in Chicago. We learn that Johnny, President of the Vandals, was inspired by watching "The Wild One" starring Marlon Brando. At that point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this is the latest from writer-director Jeff Nichols ("Mud", "Loving"). The movie's story line is inspire by a picture book of the same name by Danny Lyon, covering motorcycle clubs in the Midwest 1965-1973. The plot is thin, and this is more about evoking the spirit of motorcycle clubs found in "The Wild One" and "Easy Rider". The good news is that the lead performances are strong, and it is a pleasure watching Austin Butler (as Benny), fast rising British actress Jodie Comer (as Kathy) and Tom Hardy (as Johnny). The movie also features a quasi non-stop soundtrack of music from the late 60s-early 70s. Last but not least, you would never guess it, but the movie was shot entirely in and around Cincinnati (where I live), mostly its suburbs and exurbs. Kudos to Film Cincinnati for landing that production here!

"The Bikeriders" was shot in Cincinnati in Fall of 2022, and premiered at the 2023 Telluride film festival to positive claim. Alas, as a result of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, the theatrical release was pushed back until June of 2024. The Saturday early evening showing where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended so-so (about 10 people). If you are in the mood for a motorcycle club movie evoking the 1960's, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

At first The Bikeriders feels like a great modern day homage to those classic Scorsese gangster films.

While Austin Butler is meant to be the star, he's barely present for half the movie. Although fret not because the lack of 'Elvis on a Bike' allowed for Jodie Comer and Tom Hardy to lead the pack and shine with their performances.

In fact, I could easily say that this is quite possibly Comer's best performance to date.

Unfortunately, it then seems to lack any direction or identity and then, quite frankly, fizzles into something that's just plain boring.

The Bikeriders is definitely the type of movie your Dad will watch before he forces you to watch it and then upon a second watch, realise that the film is just fine, because that's what it is... just fine.

• Mike.

I left the theatre feeling pretty underwhelmed and non-plussed by this movie.

I had really high hopes with the cast and they all deliver good performances (with Butler doing his best James Dean impression) and the characters all showed initial promise. It just lacked a bit of heart for me and kind of drifted along with no real central story or jeopardy.

I got excited when I heard people comparing this to Goodfellas as it's one of my favorite films... but that comparison falls incredibly short. It was very style over substance and I'm starting to feel like Tom Hardy is getting so typecasted these days - bordering on Staham-esque. This could have been a brilliant movie, but sadly for me it missed the mark.

While I have a certain fondness for the movie BIKERIDERS, I still find it to be a rather mediocre title. There's undeniably something off about this film. Despite its fantastic cinematography, perfect locations, and meticulously designed decors, the movie fails to leave a lasting impression. It features a plethora of talented actors, making its failure seem implausible. Yet, by the time the credits rolled, I was left feeling utterly indifferent. Nothing from the supposed storyline stood out or stayed with me.

Even with Michael Shannon, who is one of my favorite actors, the impact was minimal. His brief appearance was so inconsequential that the film wouldn't suffer if it were entirely omitted. Sadly, the same can be said for the rest of the cast. They were equally underutilized and forgettable. This film, with all its potential, ultimately ended up being a colossal waste of talent and opportunity. Despite its visual excellence and strong cast, it fails to deliver a memorable or impactful experience, leaving audiences with a sense of squandered potential.

But I never felt tension or emotions, it was like a flat rollercoaster. Jodie Comer is out of this world, she cans play whatever she wants, she's awesome. And you mr Director, you had Michael Shannon and You do nothing with him? Really?

Besides that, acting was nice, photography did the job, music was ok, dressing was cool... I mean, this is and average good movie that I won't remember in a week or two. There was nothing special about it, nothing to highlight. I don't regret at all going to the cinema and I loved watching Jodie on the big screen, but that's it. In my opinion, the movie lacks of emotions and charm.