I didn't know anything about this movie until recently, and just seeing the cast assembled in it I went after it. But all high hopes were lost while watching it
because it's a towering pile of cliche after cliche yet it fails to generate after a while, plus some implausible things going on. It's fun to see eternal Gary Busey playing
the hero for a change, that certainly also sells, but truth is he's always better as a villain. I'm not saying he isn't good, he's pretty good and quite charismatic in his
mysterious manner but there isn't much he can work with a dull script.
Busey plays a Vietnam veteran/ex-convict just recently released from jail after an act of self-defense that didn't go well who returns to his small town to get his life back on track with his wife and kid (Judith Barsi). It's an obvious device, he's considered as a troublemaker by the sheriff (Seymour Cassell) and the police officers except for a friend (Yaphet Kotto) in the enforcement who is about to retire. But there's a problem there: the city was taken over by a criminal gang of bikers who terrorize the place, vandalize everything, attack women or go extremely violent against anyone opposed to their presence. As for authorities, they just sit on their hands. And that's when Busey's character become a man of the action.
I won't complain about the action sequences and the humor used in some bits - specially coming from Kotto's character, he's lots of fun - but I had a hard time trying to figure out the ultimate purpose of the bad guys. I mean, they trash the town, rape women (at least the dumb brother of the leader tries that, we're not exactly sure of their actions extremity), have the support from the crooked sheriff but...where's the gain? They're not robbing the city bank, the people or the businesses, just talk ride their bikes in a very loud manner and attack people but we're not seeing them as the mighty power who really controls everything and live on some riches - they're still stuck on a camping trailer, and the only major threat in their actions comes when they attack Busey and his family (a tense yet pathetic scene).
It's not a total waste even though it gives the impression of being such. The action is awesome, the thrilling scenes are really compelling and the acting is fine (William Smith as the gang chief is very menacing and I love the irony on him playing such role right after "Rumble Fish" where he played a cop who had a beef against Motorcycle Boy). Yet it's a painful experience because it doesn't have anything to say, anything new to show and they "stole" the theme from "Rocky III" without an enlightning purpose for it, I mean, this isn't a martial art or a boxing movie where such title seems more fitting. 5/10.
Busey plays a Vietnam veteran/ex-convict just recently released from jail after an act of self-defense that didn't go well who returns to his small town to get his life back on track with his wife and kid (Judith Barsi). It's an obvious device, he's considered as a troublemaker by the sheriff (Seymour Cassell) and the police officers except for a friend (Yaphet Kotto) in the enforcement who is about to retire. But there's a problem there: the city was taken over by a criminal gang of bikers who terrorize the place, vandalize everything, attack women or go extremely violent against anyone opposed to their presence. As for authorities, they just sit on their hands. And that's when Busey's character become a man of the action.
I won't complain about the action sequences and the humor used in some bits - specially coming from Kotto's character, he's lots of fun - but I had a hard time trying to figure out the ultimate purpose of the bad guys. I mean, they trash the town, rape women (at least the dumb brother of the leader tries that, we're not exactly sure of their actions extremity), have the support from the crooked sheriff but...where's the gain? They're not robbing the city bank, the people or the businesses, just talk ride their bikes in a very loud manner and attack people but we're not seeing them as the mighty power who really controls everything and live on some riches - they're still stuck on a camping trailer, and the only major threat in their actions comes when they attack Busey and his family (a tense yet pathetic scene).
It's not a total waste even though it gives the impression of being such. The action is awesome, the thrilling scenes are really compelling and the acting is fine (William Smith as the gang chief is very menacing and I love the irony on him playing such role right after "Rumble Fish" where he played a cop who had a beef against Motorcycle Boy). Yet it's a painful experience because it doesn't have anything to say, anything new to show and they "stole" the theme from "Rocky III" without an enlightning purpose for it, I mean, this isn't a martial art or a boxing movie where such title seems more fitting. 5/10.