The Bikeriders Movie Review : A wild and gripping ride into the past worth taking

Story: The crime drama draws inspiration from Danny Lyon’s 1967 photo book of the same name. It's a gripping tale that unfolds through interviews with the club’s members and their families, delving into the club's evolution into a crime syndicate, threatening its essence and the founder's vision.

Review: ‘Everyone wants to be a part of something.’ Benny (Austin Butler) and the other members of the motorcycle club, Vandals, want to be a part of the rebellion and the freedom that comes with being on the road—despite the violent fights, arrests, accidents, and marriages in shambles. Writer-Director Jeff Nichols presents these stories, including the club’s president Johnny (Tom Hardy), Zipco (Michael Shannon), Brucie (Damon Herriman), and Benny’s wife Kathy (Jodie Comer), etc. like a skilled photographer. He captures the essence of the people, places, and events, presenting them in a cohesive narrative that will keep you engrossed throughout the movie's 118-minute runtime. The allure of biker culture is palpable, and the movie does justice to it, offering enough to captivate you.

Queerly, the movie has the violence and brash characters quintessential to a biker movie. Yet, it doesn’t overwhelm you or take away from the film’s crux. The masterful direction of writer-director Nichols and the stunning cinematography by Adam Stone lend the movie a picturebook-like quality. Stone excels at capturing the Midwestern America of the 1960s and 70s, the vast expanses, house parties, and bars, making you appreciate the beauty of the setting and the skill of the team behind the camera.

The performances are also the horsepower that drives the film. Austin Butler plays a hotheaded and brash guy who responds to close ones’ deaths as a matter of fact perfectly. Tom Hardy as the only one with a stable job, a family, who starts the racing club stands out for his rough yet quiet, responsible, and level-headed demeanour. Jodie Comer deserves kudos for getting her country-girl accent and mannerisms perfect to the tee. Michael Shannon, Damon Herriman, Boyd Holbrook, Norman Reedus, and Toby Wallace as the rebels fit in perfectly.

The weaving of different anecdotes makes this an enriching watch, but it relies more on the mood and atmosphere than the pumped-up energy you expect from a biking movie. However, buckle up and hit the theater. The Bikeriders takes you on a captivating ride through a bygone era, a journey worth experiencing on the big screen.