Race for Glory: Carrera hacia la gloria

Race For Glory is an accurate attempt to depict the real racing world for privateers. These two young guys try to break into the Grand Prix Circuit with their own bike. It's a sort of "Rocky on Wheels" Story. The texture and production value of the film is quite amazing for the budget which reportedly was a bit over $8 million. The production company actually sponsored two real racers who ended up as #17 and 22 on the circuit for the year. Shot on location in France, Belgium, Yugoslavia and Boston. Peter Berg's first feature and he steels the show from Alex MacArthur. No wonder his career took off after this film. The racing scenes are quite amazing and justifiably so 10 cameras going throughout the Grans Prix's and world renowned and Oscar nominated Cinematographer, Jack N. Green.

Is it just me or the fact that the evil racing team is Japanese and that their arrogant star racer is German seem a little over the top? Maybe that is how it is on the international racing circuit but if all America had representing them are chumps like Cody and his mechanic Chris (Peter Berg, who must have been still learning how to act) then I would be rooting for another country. Formula movies can be good but the characters have to be likeable and no one meets that criteria in this movie. To put it succinctly - a very bad movie.

What a dire film. I cannot believe that I actually sat down and watched it. A very, very, very, very, very, VERY pathetic effort, with no redeeming features whatsoever. Hateeeeeeedddd ittttt! The so-called "racing" sequences are laughably awful, and the plot was so bad, I've forgotten it. Part of the film was made at the Spa-Francorchamps course in Belgium in, I think, 1988, during the actual Grand Prix there. I was there and am glad I didn't appear in any of the paddock scenes shown in the film. It could have been good...what a pity.

When I had first seen this movie in 1989 I thought it was a really good Gp race movie. I had the heart of the all american race dream taking on the big boys and beating them at their own game. I must say it is one movie that connected with me when I was in high school dreaming of racing Gp bikes.

Fans of GP motorcycle racing should rent this only because it's so bad! The movies only "good" part is the opening scene where our two would be heroes take their GP bike out for testing on the local town road. From there it's downhill...The movie revolves around to very unlikeable guys (the rider in particular) who have a dream of racing in the big time. The World Championship 500cc Grand Prix serious. This back in the days of Lawson, Schwantz, Rainey et. Anyway.... They just *build* their own 500cc GP machine in the dump of a garage. No problem. The movie is a bad joke, but it's a big laugh for bike racing fans.