The Bikeriders

This is my first IMDB review, I didn't feel compelled by the movie as I've seen a ton of movies but I feel that most people were expecting more from this movie & just not getting it. The Bikeriders is just merely showing us a place & time in America 1965-1973 etc. Just a portrait of a time that most of us aren't familiar with as it wasn't supposed to be a hardcore crime drama etc & I think ppl were let down by that. It's showing us that this motorcycle gang are not a bunch of tough guys to the core, sure you have Hardy & a few others that are willing to fight but the others are just plain scared to throw down & we are shown that because that's what Danny Lyons saw. Just because they are riding motorcycles & look a certain part doesn't mean they're not somewhat normal people. It's more of an observation piece of a biker club in that moment in time with some drama, some rough talk, an occasional spat etc.

At first I thought Jodie Comer's accent was over the top & her performance also but after a few watches it grew on me. Hardy is great as usual as the alpha leader of the crew but he doesn't really want a lot or any trouble he just wants this to be a club & have a respect thrown his way. Now Austin Butler was the biggest letdown for me and by no fault of his own as I think the script/material let him down. It's somewhat of a joke as we're shown, I'll die for this club one minute, then another few minutes I'm not like this, this isn't who I am is who I am etc with no rhyme or reason. It was just nonsensical in a way more than anything. So just take it for what it is, showing us a slice of life most of us don't remember or understand fully and it's just being portrayed for what it was in that moment in time. All in all it's a hard 7, 8 at best because I respect the director & cast. They couldn't went a lot harder as I was expecting but I think that was never the point. Watch & Enjoy for what is!

Brilliant acting, brilliantly shot, but where's the story? Having Jodie Comer's character as the erstwhile narrator was a brilliant deviation from tradition, but who's the hero and who's the villain? I know it's based on a book and therefore a true story, but you can bend a story to fit narrative arc. This film has no clear protagonist and the supposed antagonist is only in it briefly as a cardboard cut-out "victim of circumstance". Also, we never clearly establish any of the motives of the main characters. Why are they in the club? Why do they rebel? What are their goals? More importantly, why are any of them riding motorcycles and why don't they just drive cars? This is clearly a key point as I'm guessing the Chicago winters are not fun to ride in.

As a keen biker, I loved the characters and the motorcycles, but this was a series of vignettes rather than a cohesive story.

Remember that scene in "Mad Max: Fury Road" where the one war boy is given Immortan Joe's own pistol, has his teeth chrome-painted and told "I will carry you myself to Valhalla!" then he's thrown up on the war rig and promptly stumbles and loses the pistol? And Joe's brilliant response, "Mediocre!" totally deflates the war boy? That's what this movie is, except it's the audience that gets deflated by this stumbling mess.

What has happened to Hollywood that nobody can write a decent screenplay anymore? I just don't get it. The acting is fine (especially Jodie Comer - she is a revelation; and Austin Butler is imminently watchable even though he hardly says anything), but there just isn't any meat on this corpse for them to dissect.

The first few moments of the movie were promising and I felt like, "Yeah, throw him up on the rig, go war boy!" There are a few really nice shots of cool vintage items with a slick song in the background. It reminded me of Tarantino and my pulse quickened. Unfortunately, that was the only time I was inspired by this at all, because it promptly stumbles and has Austin Butler getting assaulted in a bar for being a biker. Really? This tired cliche? And it never got better.

A few points to discuss: To start with, the bikers in this club wore the "1%er" patch. I am in no way anything like an expert, but from what I understand that patch was worn by true criminal biker gangs. This movie never ever tells us anything about that aspect or even mentions what the members do for a living if they aren't criminals. In fact, we are not privy to their personal lives except in the most superficial of ways - we don't even see Butler and Comer's characters get married. Where these guys truly criminals? Because this felt exactly like an after-school club they joined to put on their college applications. If they weren't a criminal organization (which the true gang this was based on was), then those guys were in it purely for the love of motorcycles. But that is not communicated at all. Zero love. There are a few moments where the movie gestures toward it, but they are fleeting and far far from passionate or inspired. We are never made to feel that love.

In fact, for a movie called "The Bikeriders," there is precious little about bikes or riding. I was never once inspired by this movie to go out riding. Never once. No cool shots of them riding, just one chase scene that again, was nothing but a cliche. It doesn't explore whatsoever the ins and outs of being a bike rider in Chicago. We don't see one winter day in this movie - yet it takes place over some ten year time span. What do these bike lovers do when they can't ride? Chicago winters suck. Not a single word about it. They liked to get together and race, but we aren't privy to any of the race ins and outs. Even - and this is a very telling point - Jodie Comer's character mentions the "rules" of the gang twice and how all-important they were. We are NEVER told the rules. WTF???

This was more uninspired garbage from Hollywood. Passionless, overly cautious, mediocre... like most of everything else from the big studios these days. I was so disappointed. I went home and watched a few late 60s and early 70s biker films on Amazon Prime. One that I really liked was called "Angels from Hell" - a super b movie that does more in any given five minutes to show the culture of an outlaw biker gang than "The Bikeriders" did in the whole 2 hours. Even Kathryn Bigalow's first movie "The Loveless" is better than "The Bikeriders" for communicating the mindset of outlaw bikers.

People compare this movie to "Goodfellas" and I don't get that at all. There is nothing whatsoever dangerous about this movie. Nothing whatsoever traumatizing. Also nothing whatsoever inspiring.

I guess I'll have to watch Fury Road again... this one is more like feeble road. Six stars just for the acting and costumes, but I'd probably go 5.5 if I could.

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.

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.