Beyond the Law

My wife watches "Gangland Undercover" on the History Channel and I sometimes catch clips of it. Both the series and 1993's "Beyond the Law" are about individuals going undercover and joining an outlaw biker gang. Both are also based on true stories. After watching the gritty, realistic "Gangland Undercover" I was a bit let down by the tone of "Beyond the Law." While the bikers are wild and do totally wicked things, the movie has too much sheen to stack-up, excuse the pun. The acting & dialogue come across as how a geeky screenwriter imagines bikers to act rather than how they really do.

This isn't helped by the miscasting of Charlie Sheen who, although an excellent actor as witnessed by 1986' "Platoon," lacks the physical presence and grittiness to be believable in the role. His baby-face doesn't help, although they try to hide it with a beard. Still, he's a good actor and, if you're a fan of the outlaw biker film genre that ran from 1966-1973, "Beyond the Law" is a must. The other members of The Jackals are well cast, like Michael Madsen as the leader, Blood, and Leon Rippy as Virgil, the mechanic.

The rockin' soundtrack is great, featuring cuts by the likes of Saigon Kick, Asphalt Ballet and Dying Breed, as well as more mellow stuff.

Linda Fiorentino is sharp as the main babe, but she's blown out of the water by Blood's "old lady," the raven-haired bombshell played by Hollie Chamberlain. A couple of other women have cameos at a saloon.

There's not much else to say. This is a decent biker film and is unsurprisingly better than a lot of the low-budget biker flicks from 1966-1973, but it seems too polished and bubble-gummy. It doesn't hold a candle to giants like 1966's "The Wild Angels" or 1969's "Easy Rider," but it's still worthwhile if you enjoy the genre and the last act is the best part.

The film runs 108 minutes and was shot in the Phoenix, Arizona, area and El Mirage Dry Lake, California.

GRADE: B-

It was fun making this movie with Charlie as his stand-in again (did the same for Hot Shots!). Shooting it in reverse (long hair first, then short hair scenes later), sitting next to him with his pearl handled matching 45's he asks me "What do you think of this Movie, Phil?". He was always very nice and cordial to me. When I went back to the production office one day (me with long hair and him with short hair) he passes me (after shooting for days with both of us in long hair) and says "How's it going, Phil?". I didn't recognize him!

Shooting the scenes for the "Sonora" bike run were intense! We had one of the leading outlaw motorcycle gangs respond to our casting call and they spent the night on location so they could be in the front of the pack. Lots of other extras as bikers ("Weekend Warriors" - aka Lawyers, Engineers etc. all dressed out on their shiny HD's and brand new leather!), also showed up (took their place behind the Gang). I worked Security that day (no need for a stand-in if the Actor isn't on set), and had a few "extra" bikers come riding past me to get off the set saying they were afraid of or had been threatened by the Gang members. Probably mouthed off to some of the Gang!

A fun group to work with including Reno Thunder (Native American) who I miss today! The quintessential "Native". We did the "Jail" scene next to each other over and over and over! As I said, Charlie (and Linda) were very kind and nice to me. Great to work with/for.

Phil Bautista, Austin TX

I like Michael Madsen (Kill Bill, Sin City, Reservoir Dogs), and he really is a crazy SOB in this film based on a true story about an ex-cop who goes undercover and almost loses it.

Charlie Sheen ("Two and a Half Men") is more buff than I ever remember seeing him. Maybe it's that good life as a jingle writer that has taken the edge off. He is fighting demons from his childhood as he takes on the toughest job one could imagine. At least he gets the best looking girl in the film - Linda Fiorentino (Dogma, Unforgettable).

The film could have done with a lot more action to be a real motorcycle flick, but it was tense and raw enough for a couple of hours entertainment.

Long before he went on his "winning" streak, Charlie Sheen was actually a pretty decent actor and while he's always had a wild side to him, he was also a little bit down to earth (at least more to down to earth than he is now). One of the movies that Charlie starred in in his hey day was a little movie from HBO called "Beyond the Law" in 1993. In it, Charlie stars as Daniel Saxon, a small town cop who's struggling with demons from his past as well as his identity of being half Native American when out of the blue, he gets an offer from a federal agent (the underrated Courtney B. Vance) to infiltrate a brutal biker gang known as the Jackals. With the help of a biker misfit named Virgil (the constant scene stealing Leon Rippy) Saxon is able to learn how to act, think, and look like a real mean biker. His performance is so good in fact, that the club's leader, Blood (played by the always menacing Michael Madsen) actually offers Saxon membership in the club.However, the deeper Daniel goes undercover, the more trouble he has in keeping his soul from descending into the dark hell permanently. The story is also able to draw on the character's Native American roots and provide a spiritual allegory of losing one's self to the darkness and finding it again.

What's more, this was apparently based on a true story; however, like a lot of Hollywood true tales, I'm sure the filmmakers decided to add a little embellishment here and there. Still, the real life agent (his real name being Dan Black) did serve as a technical adviser and does appear somewhere in the film as an extra. Another thing that adds to the film is the surprisingly good soundtrack that accompanies the action. I say surprisingly because, for the most part, the soundtrack is done by unknowns but it just goes to show you that you don't need famous musicians to do a good soundtrack; sometimes just any good musicians will do the trick. Also starring the beautiful Linda Fiorentino as a photo journalist who helps lead Daniel away from the darkness and in a small role, the legendary Rip Torn, "Beyond the Law" is a nice way to kill some time by providing you with a good story and some really nice motorcycles. 9 out of 10. P.S. watch out for those outlaw bikers.

This movie is based on a true story about a single man who sat his life on stake to go undercover in the dangerous biker community. This touching story show a ordinary man go so deep in that he don't know what is right anymore or which side he is on.He also has to make the choice to betrayl a friend or doing what is right.

In the leading role we find Charlie Sheen as Dan Saxon,we also get to see Michael Madsen in a very cool role as the leader of the biker gang.

The fact that this movie is based on a true story just makes you connect more with the main characters.

At the end I have to say that this is a great movie that shows how far an ordinary man is willing to go.

7 out of 10.