I started this review a couple of times, deleting generic sentences and trying to come up with something creative and worth reading. However, I believe I have come under the influence of this commercial, mainstream milker. Wild Hogs is like that guy that has an entire suit made out of the same material. And not just the suit. Even his personality is made out of the same material and you can’t help but take a peak and smile, overwhelmed by the amount of effort. And the fact that the guy is pulling it off. Something similar happened here.
Walt Becker made a movie about weekend warriors, guys who are going through a mid-life crisis and coming to terms with it by riding motorcycles during the weekends. They are not members of any gang, just fascinated by the open road and freedom that comes with that lifestyle. On the other hand, they all have families, jobs, and other shit that “prevents” them from acting out these fantasies. Those quotation marks are there because you can’t be sure whether they think they would pull off such a lifestyle but they are choosing their stable life because of love, children, and other crap.
Or they’re fully aware they would not be able to live the true rebel biker lifestyle. The thing that surprised me most about Wild Hogs is just how funny it is. A potent blend of physical humor, gags, and mildly raunchy jokes will surely make you laugh. Mostly because the cast gave such good performances. Of course, William H. Macy stood out as Dudley, the accident-prone IT specialist. We’ll also get a couple of cool cameos which I will leave for you to discover.
Doug, Woody, Bobby, and Dudley are four friends living boring lives in a quiet Cincinnati suburb. They all have different jobs and different takes on things, but they are basically the same Average Joe guy. Breaking their routine by riding motorcycles during the weekends seems to be helping them a lot with those boring lives. They even have their own gang called Wild Hogs. One day, after his wife leaves him, one of them suggests they go on a road trip. And this is the event that will change their lives forever.
Who knew men going through midlife crises could be so funny? Just kidding guys, I know this is something that awaits us all. And at least these guys are doing something about it without buying the dreaded convertible. And let’s not forget the popular hooking up with a girl twice your age. Wild Hogs is basically a road trip comedy for older people. It’s not trying to be too smart or too edgy. It knows perfectly well what it is and if you do too, the two of you can have some fun.
It’s also a movie you can watch with anyone without worrying something might be off or wrong. And have a good time, which is also important. The pacing is great and the running time is short. Finally, if you’re looking for a “real biker movie”, I suggest you check out Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. And if middle-aged men going on a road trip is your cup of tea, Gone Fishin’ is a great choice.
Director: Walt Becker
Writer: Brad Copeland
Cast: Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Ray Liotta, Marisa Tomei
Fun Stuff: A sequel was planned but scrapped due to the critical and commercial failure of Old Dogs
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486946/
