After a chance encounter, headstrong Kathy is drawn to Benny, a member of the Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals. As the club transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, Benny must choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.
Jeff Nichols came to my attention years ago when he released “Take Shelter,” a fascinating paranoia thriller about a man who goes into survivalist mode after being plagued by apocalyptic visions about an impending storm. Starring the always magnificent Michael Shannon with a truly incredible, terrifying, and often jarring script, “Take Shelter” grabbed me by the soul and never let go, becoming not only my favorite film of 2011 but sliding itself with ease onto my list of the best films of the century so far. If you’re reading this review now and have managed to miss it, I highly recommend pausing, canceling any plans you may have, and witnessing Jeff Nichols’ masterpiece for the first time.
My reaction to Nichols’ incredible film is a strange one given that, as much love as I possess for it, I didn’t rush to the cinema for much of his future work, except his 2016 Science Fiction endeavor “Midnight Special” which, for all of its promise, ultimately left me underwhelmed. All this to say, it’s difficult for me to find a reason to explain why Nichols’ latest film comes in as one of my highest anticipated releases of 2024, but since seeing the first promotional materials for “The Bikeriders,” I’ve been hooked and eagerly awaited its release.
And now here we are.
“The Bikeriders” follows Kathy (Jodie Comer) as she gives an interview that recounts how she came to meet and know Benny (Austin Butler), a member of the Midwestern motorcycle club known as The Vandals. We meet Benny in the film’s opening moments, introduced to us in a bar being harassed by two men who berate him for his jacket, which proudly sports his gang’s name and colors, an encounter that leads to a brutal fight that showcases Benny’s stubbornness and loyalty to his group. It’s a moment that takes us straight to the point, allows us to dive right in, and has a remarkable way of immediately telling us all we will ever need to know about Benny with few words. It’s a scene that is expertly captured and sets up the promise of an excellent film waiting to unfold before our eyes.
Unfortunately, while never being short of entertaining, the film never manages to live up to its opening moments.
The cast is the selling point here, which should surprise nobody who has familiarized themselves with any of their bodies of work leading up to this. Even if they seem to be miscast, Jodie Comer and Austin Butler deliver compelling performances. I have difficulty looking at these two actors and believing them in these roles, but despite this and, at times, some underwhelming writing, they manage to take what’s given to them and run with it. As usual, Michael Shannon gives a stunning performance with his limited screen time. He delivers a monologue about being rejected from being a soldier in the Vietnam War, arguably the most decisive moment of writing here, and drives the film’s biggest theme. Norman Reedus, Mike Faist, Karl Glusman, and more also show up to deliver among a talented ensemble cast.
The show’s star here, however, is Tom Hardy, delivering an Oscar-worthy performance as Johnny, the tough and mean but still kind-hearted leader of The Vandals. Hardy delivers quite possibly the best performance of his career, as every moment and word is delivered with such nuance and precision that you can’t help but be hypnotized by his presence. Hardy has always been a gifted actor, but his performance as Johnny is magnetic here and reminded me of some of the best of Brando’s work from past days.
Because of this magnetism, I understand why some of the film’s biggest mistakes were made. “The Bikeriders” is a movie from the perspective of Comer’s Kathy, who tells the story to Mike Faist’s Danny Lyon, the real-life photojournalist who spent years photographing and interviewing The Vandals. The story presents itself as one that is centered around Kathy and Benny, but they seldom take center stage from Hardy. It’s rewarding since Hardy is giving his all in the performance of a lifetime, but since not enough time is spent with the characters the story is supposed to be about, it isn’t easy at times to care much when their arcs come full circle. Another go at the script or another pass in the editing room could have potentially fixed these issues, but, as is, we’re left with something a little more disjointed than it should be with underdeveloped characters, Hardy’s Johnny being the only character that feels appropriately fleshed out.
It’s truly disappointing, considering how fascinating this story is and its strong themes. Monologues of rejection, loss, fear, and no sense of direction or belonging are told by characters who seem to be wild and free at first glance. But is one truly free if they’re only where they are because nothing and nobody else would have them? It’s a harrowing question that deserves a deeper exploration of the world being presented, but unfortunately, it never takes the full leap required to answer it.
You may be reading this and have come to surmise that I didn’t enjoy the film, which is far from the truth. Every individual scene is compelling in its own way, and sometimes, it comes close to reaching brilliance, but it plays out like a montage of good ideas that never came together to form a fully compelling whole. The film is entertaining from start to finish, but there’s a better film here just begging to be released that, unfortunately, never sees the light of day. There is a good film here.
Unfortunately, it just missed the mark.
Now available on Digital and on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray,™ and DVD August 13th
