The late 1960s was a time of chaos in America. The English Invasion was sweeping the country, Civil Rights protests were at their height fueled by Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, and biker gangs were more powerful than many police departments. In 1963, Photographer Danny Lyons began hanging out with the Chicago chapter of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club and became a full-fledged member in 1966. During his time with the club, he rode around the country taking pictures of members and documenting their lifestyles. He later created a photo book of the pictures entitled The Bikeriders. Last year, a movie based on the photographs premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and was released in theaters this past June. This week, the film is available for purchase on Blu-ray and 4K.
Here's the story: The Bikeriders captures a rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Jodie Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Austin Butler), the newest member of the Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals led by the enigmatic Johnny (Tom Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.
While there are some interesting moments to enjoy throughout the movie, the best part is the cast. Jodie Comer (Free Guy) and Austin Butler (Elvis) have terrific chemistry making the central plot more electric. Tom Hardy portrays his typical bad boy persona here and, though he is very good at it, the character is something we have seen from him before. Michael Shannon (The Shape of Water) and Mike Fast (Challengers) round out this talented ensemble cast.
Presented in 2160p, Native 4K resolution, The Bikeriders looks visually stunning on the screen. From the muted color palette to the dusty, open road, the color recreations are spot on. The details are sharp and clean, and the 4K transfer from the original negative is very well done.
More impressive than the video presentation, though, is the Dolby Atmos audio. The sound of motorcycles rumbling across the pavement is crisp and dynamic. The audience can hear the motors hum as they move across the screen and from one surround sound speaker to the next. Dialogue sits comfortably in the front speakers, while ambient sound utilizes the entire audio spectrum. A robust and eclectic soundtrack rounds out the audio presentation.
The combo pack comes with the 4K disc, Blu-ray Disc, and digital download. There is also the feature commentary and an additional 9 minutes of extras, which is rather disappointing. Certainly, a few more extras couldn't hurt, and one has to wonder why Universal wasn't more forthcoming with supplements. The extras are Johnny, Benny, & Kathy, The Era of 'The Bikeriders', The Filmmaker's Eye: Jeff Nichols, and Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Jeff Nichols.
With a strong cast, great technical elements, and a decent script, one has to wonder what went wrong with the storytelling to make The Bikeriders merely an okay movie. Besides some slow pacing, the movie also remains even-keeled and steady when a little heated emotional turmoil could have made for something more interesting. While physical fights occur, the "whatever" attitude permeates the film, making it less than exciting.
The Bikeriders isn't a terrible film by any means, but it doesn't seem to live up to its full potential, which I put squarely on writer/director Jeff Nichols (Mud) shoulders. If you are a fan of Brando in The Wild One, The Bikeriders will probably appeal to you more than others, and I'm sure some of Butler's fans will buy the home release just for him.
Grade: B
