Thunderstruck

In terms of genre, this is a cross between a road movie (a drive across Australia by 4 men) and a comedy.

But to appreciate this film, you probably need to know a lot about Australia and its culture and a reasonable amount about the rock group AC/DC, especially their early years. So probably the ideal viewer is a middle-aged Australian! I suspect other viewers simply may not understand the jokes nor recognise the many Australian actors and non-actors in cameo roles, that make the film such a delight.

The pilgrimage to the grave of Bon Scott's grave is a real-life phenomena, with thousands of people visiting the grave every year, and apparently this film has contributed to even larger numbers of ACDC fans making the trip, so life does imitate art!

I dug this out of my husband's DVD collection to watch when I was in on my own one night (he's the AC/DC fan in the house, not me). I wasn't sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised.

I've always quite liked road-trip movies, especially ones with a bit of comedy and this one didn't disappoint - there were a few laugh out load scenes in there. Loved the hairstyles in the beginning and didn't realise it was Sam Worthington from Avatar fame until I looked up the cast on IMDb afterwards, so that was cool seeing an early film of his without knowing it.

There were some good characters in this film, some genuinely funny moments and some 'lightly' touching moments.

I don't think you have to be an AC/DC fan to enjoy this film.

I like comedy movies I really do! So my friends and I went to hire a movie and we saw this one. And yes the tagline is: A hilarious movie with the music of AC/DC and more... In dutch you know. So we thought cool let's hire this one. When we were home we sad back relax and played the DVD. I have 1 thing to say: Bummer! Just wasted another 90 minutes of my life. The genre of the movie is COMEDY and I don't get it! Because is this movie trying to be a comedy or a drama? Sure there are some funny parts in it but I think this movie is so boring. What Detroit rock city did for the kiss fans, this movie won't do for the AC/DC fans. And what's up with the soundtrack? Almost no songs of AC/DC in it, maybe a few but the most songs are covers:S

So be warned and see for yourself if you want to hire this movie, cause it gave me a bad day!

OK, I'll say up front that this movie features only 1 AC/DC song (the title track) in the very beginning. At the end there's a good cover of "It's a Long Way to the Top", and somewhere in the middle is a bizarre country version of "TNT". Hardcore fans might recognize a song by Fraternity, Bon Scott's band before he sang for AC/DC.

But this movie isn't really for hardcore AC/DC fans, it's for everyone. Rather than the music of AC/DC, it focuses on the mischief and mayhem caused by 4 loser friends in their late 20s, twelve years after their rock'n'roll dreams burned out.

It's a road movie, meaning there's not much of a plot other than a bunch of guys being on the road most of the time. Strange, almost random scenes happen along the way, and that's what the fun is about.

My favourite parts were: the creepy gas station guy and his "surprise", the crazed wheelchair rugby team, the Korean mafia (stick around after the credits), the argument over what letter should mark the spot (X?), and of course the two terminally stupid "Beavis & Butthead" fans who take the lyrics of "Jailbreak" too literally.

Some might say that this film has deeper themes about loyalty to friends and youth, and about staying true to dreams despite getting older. But nah, I just see it as a wacky road movie.

"Thunderstruck" is pretty tame, not too much swearing and only one sexual situation. There are some references to drug use and 1 gross-out scene involving drugs and a toilet (and other things that go in toilets). But other than that it's mostly family-friendly.

Three years after making "Thunderstruck", director Darren Ashton would make "Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance" which is my all-time fave Aussie comedy and one of the funniest comedies I've ever seen. For Ashton fans: these 2 movies are very different. While "Razzle Dazzle" has a cheeky Christopher-Guest-type of humour, "Thunderstruck" is more physical and in-your-face like maybe "Wedding Crashers".

Other similar Aussie comedies I recommend are Alex Proyas's "Garage Days" about a struggling band trying to get their first big break, and "The Wannabees" about a team of foul-mouthed crooks who somehow become the nation's most popular children's show. See them all and maybe you'l agree, Aussie comedy rocks.

Lets face it, this movie was never meant to be "The Godfather: Part 2" or "Lost in Translation". It is totally about how far devoted fans of bands will go for their Idols and their mates. And you know what you are letting yourself in for before you even step up to the Ticket booth and say "2 for the next screening of Thunderstuck please"

Revolving around 4 mates who are keeping a promise to a old friend (Ronnie) who unfortunately was literally struck by thunder when a rogue lighting strike hit him on a golf course. Sonny decides to pull the gang back together and take off with the ashes of Ronnie to the cemetery where Bon Scott grave is so they fulfill their promise to him. Of course They are on the east coast and the cemetery they have to get to is on the west coast, and in the middle is one of the roughest deserts in the world. And of course they have no money for a plane flight over, so what to do?

So Let the Mayhem begin with Sonny "Borrowing" his Dad's most beloved Van for the Trip without telling him first of course. Sonny and Sam Drugging Ben to drag him away from his straight laced supermarket Job. Trying to keep the Cocaine trafficking Lloyd in line who is on the run from the Asian Triad, and being hit on by Petrol station owners. Oh it is never a easy road to keep a promise to your friends cremate ashes which you happened to steal from his Succubus ex-wife. But a Promise is a Promise.