The Hard Ride

For a PG rated Biker/Exploitation flick it's not bad. There's better out there if you're a first timer to this sub-genre. On the other hand, if you're not a big fan of violence or rape which a lot of these seem to delve into then this is probably best for you.

"The Hard Ride" is a decent film---not especially good but they people who made it tried to make a competent movie and it is watchable. However, for folks who LIKE sleazy biker pics, this one will be a HUGE disappointment! Had they infused it with the typical crap you'd find in films like "Satan's Sadists" or "Werewolves on Wheels", it would have been worse but a lot more fun.

The film is about an ex-G.I. (Robert Fuller) who has come to a desert town to take possession of his dead buddy's chopper nicknamed 'Baby'. Unfortunately, all kids of nasty folks want the bike and Fuller isn't about to just give it to these jerks. However, this is only part of the film--much of it consists of Fuller and a lady driving around cross country looking for 'Big Red' as well as making out. While all this COULD have been great sleazy fun, it's all played very straight and is non-exploitation all the way. A somewhat dull time-passer and that's about it.

The Hard Ride tries to be a message movie, as Robert Fuller (soon to be Dr Kelly Brackett on TV's 'Emergency!') comes home from 'Nam to reclaim his dead buddy's chopper, Baby. Complications ensue as the local chapter of Hell's Bellyachers don't take too kindly to a straight dude muscling in on the action. This is no Satan's Sadists, heck it's not even Hell's Angel on Wheels, so aside from a few chase scenes and a whiff of miscegenation there's not much fun to be had here.

While the two leads here are adequate for this type of bottom-of-the-bill movie, one has to admit that this is the kind of film one would find at a drive-in in 1971 -- a drive-in occupied entirely by couples far too busy making out in their back seats to ever glance at the screen or even hook the speaker to their car windows. It's hard to figure what's worse here -- the lousy script and direction, idiotic soundtrack music, the cheapo production techniques, the poor editing, the badly choreographed fight scenes ("heightened" by inexplicable slo-mo) or the stupidly clichéd plot and characters. The motorcycle sequences are almost laughable. The childish dopes the movie tries to typify would have been just as awesome on bicycles with training wheels. What an embarrassing waste of film.

I honestly don't know what the previous poster was watching but he obviously ain't a bike lover as this movie has probably one of the best choppers ever seen on film, and when the song Fallin' In Love With Baby is playing you just can't help but smile like Bob Fuller who looks over the moon to be on this baby. I collect bike movies and the vast majority are rubbish with minimal bikes, this is different with i'd say 75% of the movie riding scenes! Fantastic opening sequence too with about 50 scooters riding in formation across a desert with magic music by Bill Medley. The soundtrack LP is easily obtained and is well worth getting hold of too. This movie only lets its self down when it goes into bikie movie clichés like the rumble/brawl scenes. Special mention to the stunning Sherry Bain, a realistic beauty who carries this movie, why she didn't become a major star is a mystery????