The Bikeriders

This is exactly the kind of movie I would never go to see on my own, but I attended the FilmBooster screening out of curiosity and it turned out exactly as I expected. I have to single out the absolutely excellent Tom Hardy, I adore him in literally every film, and here he plays his character flawlessly as well, and likewise all the A-listers who second him are solidly memorable. The idea, however (although I was entertained at a couple of moments), went completely over my head and didn't say anything to me, so I had a bit of trouble getting more into the film. The whole thing is kind of a fast-paced story of one group of bikers, who are a joy to watch, but who on the other hand don't do anything memorable, making the movie a sort of a fly-by of bland scenes. Those who like this type of movies can add a star, but otherwise it's just a bland "meh" without much punch for me. (06/19/2024)

A praiseworthy work that dusts of the good old motorcycling setting and has a good time building a story and characters. With superbly cast actors who do excellent work. The fragile Jodie Comer among tough guys who don’t belong anywhere, so they belong to themselves. Tom Hardy’s growling and stares have never been more expressive and the rebellious heart-throb Austin Butler gives the film the spirit of the most iconic version of cinematic America (James Dean). The Bikeriders is an enjoyable old-school flick for fans of ensemble acting. It doesn’t need a sophisticated plot to be entertaining with every scene and it keeps its outcome unpredictable all the way to the end. Probably the film’s coolest and most original scene, romantic and macho at the same time, is Butler’s seduction of Jodie Comer in front of her house. (06/24/2024)

This retro film impressively built on atmosphere has its origins in a literary-photographic publication detailing the lifestyle of the members of an actual motorcycle gang in the late 1960s and early ’70s. This is thematised in the story through the character of its author (a photojournalist), whose questioning of the main protagonist (the wife of one of the bikers) forms the framework of the film and sets its rhythm. Through these two observers, we are gradually familiarised with the members and the rules of the gang, whose vision of rebelliousness and freedom goes hand in hand with chronic idleness, vagabondism and vandalism would otherwise be hard to relate to. The characters in the gang grow in number in the second half of the meandering narrative, whose thin plot is determined by a study of the relationships between the individual bikers. However, these characters aren’t given any more exposition, as the story intentionally puts them in the position of anonymous, unwanted intruders who in the climax contribute to the decline of the golden age of motorcycling. Together with that, the film’s tone changes, when the initially humorous episodes and free-thinking hedonism are supplanted by tragic twists and melancholy reflecting the symptoms of the era, especially the trauma and experiences connected with the war in Vietnam. At the very least, Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Austin Butler and Michael Shannon are absolutely excellent thanks not only to their performances and characters, but also their nonchalant demeanour, manner of speaking and, in some cases, atypical appearance. (06/20/2024)

Old school. Honest filmmaking, yet Jeff Nichols goes about it a little differently. A motorcycle thesis, starting with a look at Marlon Brando in The Wild One, wanders between the various characters, their monologues about the poor and war, cars and banging the pretty Kathy. The acting is top-notch in each of the Vandals, but Austin Butler and Tom Hardy tower above them all. Hardy's thoughtful, good-natured Johnny as the founder and boss shows that it was all originally about picnics and a sense of freedom, and Butler, as the embodiment of that Savage, is the role model and son he always wanted (I guess? Nichols is not literally wise). The Bikeriders is based on a photo book so it's fortunate that it has a plot arc and an unexpected ending and says a lot about what women think of men. Still, it lacked one bigger scene to stick in the memory and push it up that proverbial notch. But maybe they didn't put it in for a greater sense of realism. (08/02/2024)

The Bikeriders is captivating in the way it's told, with a story about a bunch of guys with a thing for motor oil, a fist to the face and danger, set in a kind of newsreel framework. The leading trio of actors was chosen with the character in mind: from the charismatic leader Tom Hardy, to the troubled rebel Austin Butler, to the fragile yet tough Jodie Comer. It was interesting to see the evolution of the band of "vandals" - from the buddies who liked to ride and party here and there, to the twisted brainwashed fanatics. P.S. "Men don't cry, unless it's necessary!" (06/27/2024)