TL;DR – While this film is a beautiful character feature, however, its pacing and subject matter make it difficult to connect and care.  

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I was invited to a press screening of this film.

Warning – Contains scenes that may cause distress.

The Bikeriders Review –

Today, we are looking at an interesting film because it has been a weird rollercoaster for me. When I first heard of the premise and cast, I was so giddy. It was a combination that had to be seen to be believed. But then that first trailer dropped … and it was not great. I came into this screening with more than a bit of apprehension that ended up being a little justified.

So, to set the scene, it is 1965 and fresh new journalist and photographer Danny Lyon (Mike Faist) is interviewing people from the Vandals motorcycle club. Of particular interest was Kathy Cross (Jodie Comer), who entered this world as an outsider before falling in love with the dangerous but charming Benny (Austin Butler). Everything is going well under the watchful eyes of leader Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy). But the question is: is that security earned, or is everything on the cusp of falling apart?

Let us start with the things that I did like about the film because there was a lot there. To begin with, our three leads are as excellent as their accents are extreme. Every moment they are on screen, they are captivating because they draw all your focus. When Austin Butler goes full-swoon during his introduction, you could feel that power emanating off the screen and into the audience. Tom Hardy is at his enigmatic best in a role that has him chewing the edges of the script off. The real champion of the film is Jodie Comer because so much of the narrative rests on her shoulders, and she carries it as if nothing is there. Indeed, what I will say is this is an excellent character piece in that just about everyone in the supporting cast gets at least one scene to call their own and shine.  

When they have all the period costumes, they are a delight. The film was surprisingly funny in some places, which was a nice touch. It was also good to see how they used the roar of the motorcycles to evoke different emotions like joy and fear. One of the parts of the film that interested me the most was the framing device they used to connect it all together. This movie is based on the book by Danny Lyon when he interviewed and photographed the gang. So, the film uses this interview as a narrative framework that holds everything together. It was such a clever way to interest a narration into what was going on.   

However, while the film had some strengths, the first act especially stands out as a highlight. I unfortunately cannot say that everything came together for me. As the film progresses, they move more and more away from that framing device, or maybe it just starts losing some of its impact. This makes the back half of the film a real drudge to get through, especially after one of the characters leaves. It also wants to touch on a number of different themes, like the role of masculinity, the damage the Vietnam War did to society, how structures you build up can fly out of your control, and how you can inadvertently radicalise a new generation. These are all great topics to explore, but we never get beyond the surface layer on most of these because there is too much to cover and not enough time to do it all.

In the end, do we recommend The Bikeriders? Well, if you are into bikes or that period of history, then absolutely. If one of those leads is your favourite actor, then also, 100%, give it a watch. If you don’t fall into either of those categories, then I am not sure that I can. If you liked The Bikeriders, we would recommend to you Challengers.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you watched The Bikeriders?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of The Bikeriders
Directed by – Jeff Nichols
Screenplay by – Jeff Nichols
Based on – The Bikeriders by Danny Lyon
Music by – David Wingo
Cinematography by – Adam Stone
Edited by – Julie Monroe
Production/Distribution Companies – Regency Enterprises, New Regency, Tri-State Pictures, Focus Features & Universal Pictures
Starring – Jodie Comer, Austin Butler & Tom Hardy with Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reedus, Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, Emory Cohen, Karl Glusman, Toby Wallace, Happy Anderson, Paul Sparks & Will Oldham     
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: 14a; Germany: 12; New Zealand: R; United Kingdom: 15; United States: R