The Bikeriders Review – Motorcycle Club Life

Motorcycle gangs are an aspect of American society that has always been met with fascination in television and movies. From the gritty and harsh reality of life to the exaggerated sense of loyalty among peers, biker gangs have been depicted in many ways in American crime dramas. The Bikeriders is a different approach to showing motorcycle clubs on screen, while at the same time having the same reverence and fascination that films of the past had for the subject. It’s a story told from the perspective of someone who tangentially was part of the crew, but still got to see the changes that took place through the golden years of motorcycle clubs.

The story of The Bikeriders is told from the perspective of Kathy, a young girl who falls in love with a guy named Benny, the newest recruit of a Midwestern motorcycle club called the Vandals. The film jumps between time throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s, with Kathy recounting events to a photographer and filmmaker, Danny Lyon. Both Kathy and Benny experience many challenges of being associated with a motorcycle club that takes in outcasts from all walks of life. However, things begin to change drastically as the years go on, with the club growing exponentially and becoming more and more involved with crime and violence. Things get bad enough to a point where Benny needs to choose between staying a member of the Vandals, or quitting and building a life with Kathy before it’s too late.

The movie does very well in gradually showing how much the decade’s changing impacts the Vandals as a group, both in scope and in terms of their core values. At the start, there is a very big emphasis on bringing in members who have a strong personal connection with each other, with around 10 or so members. But as the group grows and has extra chapters start up outside the state, much of the core values are lost in favor of instant gratification, leading to everything becoming very chaotic. Kathy experiences this first hand as she joins Benny in multiple meets between the crew, seeing how the group of misfits interacts with each other.

However, the relationship between Benny and Kathy is an interesting aspect of this tale. Austin Butler plays Benny as the classic good-looking guy with a motorcycle, while Jodie Comer plays the young and naïve Kathy who gets caught up in the lifestyle of the motorcycle club. Both do an excellent job in their respective roles, with each one showing the burden of events in their own way. Kathy excuses a lot of the bad aspects of Benny being part of the crew but becomes increasingly disillusioned as everything changes within the club itself. Benny remains stoic through most of the film, but also becomes burdened and hits a breaking point by the end, which lets him come to a major decision. By the time Kathy explains the ultimate outcome of everything, it’s a slow burn that is executed very well.

An excellent supporting character in this story is Johnny, the leader of the Vandals, played by Tom Hardy. He’s present throughout the film in Kathy’s retelling as the club’s founder, bringing in every other member that makes up the original group. Tom Hardy does a great job of displaying the tough guy persona with a heart hidden behind the armored exterior. He’s a likable boss who looks for loyalty among his crew, with Benny being someone he holds great value in. Some of Johnny’s best moments are when you see or hear the reasoning behind his actions with the club, even after something very bad has taken place beforehand. One scene has him taking a conflict to a far extreme, only to do something right after that earns the complete trust and loyalty of the one he was fighting with. Hardy’s approach to the character is so well done that anyone will definitely feel some type of way when it’s revealed where Johnny ends up by the film’s end.

Something that The Bikeriders also has a good grasp on is its timing, both comedic and serious. While the majority of the plot is very serious, there are a few moments of humor that are found in the interactions between the motorcycle gang members. While the sense of humor the bikers display won’t be the same as the audience, it’s the reactions they have to each other that will get a laugh. But that humor is only reserved for the film’s peaceful moments, and when things need to get serious, they do so very quickly. A later scene involving a red dress starts off innocent at first and then becomes ominous and sinister shortly after. This works hand-in-hand with how the movie focuses on how much changes for the group and how a lot of what made things work is lost over time.

The Bikeriders aren’t without a few flaws. Some of the supporting characters don’t have much screen time or a major impact on the main story between Kathy and Benny. By the end, they can feel like a footnote despite being part of the crew in a big way. While others only appear in a few key scenes and disappear entirely. A lot of this is due in part of the story being told through Kathy’s point of view, and in some cases only provides context for how certain characters end up by the finale. The epilogue on the lives of the original Vandal members is a bit rushed by the end, with Kathy mentioning only what she knows happened to everyone.

In a film that is about a motorcycle club, you’d expect to see a lot of riding done. Luckily, all the main club members are shown riding in various ways, be it alone or as a whole crew. The scenes where all the Vandals are moving together as one unit are great, but are sold even better by the reactions of those around them as they drive by. When the Vandals go to a picnic where a bunch of other groups are hanging out, they grab the attention of everyone, which leads to a clash between clubs and made up with beers shortly after. There’s a sense of awe and fear by everyone towards the Vandals, especially as they drive their motorcycles nearby. This is also supported further in a scene where Johnny burns down a bar and the fire department units wait until the group leaves to stop the fire.

Although there is violence in some parts of the story, we never truly see the Vandals doing anything chaotic outside of speeding on their motorcycles. There are moments with Benny and the crew as they read about him outrunning the cops through red lights until he’s caught later after his motorcycle runs out of gas. The heavy crime doesn’t come until much later when the group’s ranks begin to grow dramatically. Part of the change is implied to be a result of the Vietnam War coming to an end, as well as the rise of heavy drug use in the country. It’s an interesting thought that is partially explored, but not as much as the effects they yield on the motorcycle club. The strong sense of loyalty and safe haven for outcasts becomes lost as more and more members join up, which drastically changes what Johnny founded the group upon.

There’s a lot to like about The Bikeriders as a film, especially if you have a fascination with looking back at this part of American culture. The characters in this story are likable and interesting, told through a perspective that feels fresh. Though the fascination with crime and rebellious attitudes are still a staple of cinema, it’s nice to see a take on it that makes everything feel new. It’s a slow cruise in some spots, but this is definitely a movie you can enjoy taking a ride with.