Svalvolati on the road

To compare Wild Hogs to comedic greats and classic movies about mid-life crisis would be absolutely foolish. Sitting back and enjoying the wild ride is your best choice in getting the full enjoyment out of this flick. Containing a diverse cast that works quite well, a handful of funny cameos, tons of predictable yet enjoyable scenarios, and a rather surprising amount of physical humor; Wild Hogs is a startlingly delightful comedy that isn't afraid to reach low for a laugh. Coming off as more than just a guilty pleasure, we have good acting running the show, as our longtime cinema veterans mesh together and bring out their best comedic skills to deliver a nice trip through the United States.

Wild Hogs follows four middle-aged men losing excitement (among other things) in their daily aspects of life. Doug (Tim Allen) isn't the fun guy he used to be, Bobby (Martin Lawrence) is not able to run his own home, Woody (John Travolta) has lost pretty much everything, and Dudley (William H. Macy) has nothing to begin with. The four of them decide to take their boring lives out for a spin, and try to relive the glory days of college-- ride off in their motorbikes across the country. The main conflict is whether or not they can unleash the Wild Hogs in them and be able to reach California in one piece. The other problem arises when the well-known tough biker gang Del Fuegos crosses paths with them.

The premise is something we've all seen before, yet it can still be done well with the right group of people. Mixing John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen, and William H. Macy is something that truly would not, and could not have been predicted by anybody. Nonetheless, this unique quartet does a fantastic job. Not one actor is overused or overacting, and we see each of the actors' talents brought to life. Tim Allen puts his physical humor to the test and succeeds. John Travolta brings his comedic chops and also is shockingly hilarious. Martin Lawrence has his good movies (Nothing to Lose) and his really bad movies (Black Night, Big Momma's House 2) but in here, he doesn't go too far, doesn't attempt too hard, and holds his own as the uncertain Bobby. Topping them all is William H. Macy, whose physical comedy tops all the others in this movie. Rounding out the cast is an assortment of cameos and short roles that despite being good were quite underused (Marisa Tomei, Stephen Tobolowsky, Ray Liotta, John C. McGinley, Peter Fonda).

The laughs in here are present pretty much throughout the film, and it ranges from funny little one-liners, to physical comedy, to lowbrow comedy, to even a bit of absurdity. A bit of it is predictable, yet some of it comes flying out of nowhere (literally and figuratively). We have a nice bit of cinematography to capture some of it, including a nice shot of "death" taking a liking to William H. Macy and a brilliant game of "Bullslapping." The director, Walt Becker, knows better and lets the camera roll and the actors take control of what is going on. He was fortunate enough to capture the fun and silliness with little effort.

We don't have Oscar material in the least bit, but we have material that will spark laughing riots from the audience time and time again. Like most decent comedies of this decade, its best not to be taken seriously, because analyzing and nitpicking would distract from the overall experience. Like what the characters in the film originally wanted; it was a trip with no rules, no barriers, and no remorse. Wild Hogs does just that; it was a raw, strong PG-13 ride with the violence, sex, profanity, and look-away moments that anyone on the open road would witness. Also supporting this movie is a nice soundtrack, cleverly adding some good Southern rock, Bon Jovi, AC/DC, and even White Zombie. Try to catch some subtle Disney humor involving the actors and character's names.

Bottom Line: So what if the script isn't groundbreaking? So what if the direction didn't enhance anything? So what if the story became a bit predictable? We have four veteran actors making fools of themselves for almost two hours on the open road, and with very little time in between potential laughs. It was just pure popcorn entertainment, and isn't that what you want on a Friday night? Wild Hogs will not inspire you to do something, but it will inspire some conversations and maybe even a second viewing. Besides, it is rare to see Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence provide a slew of funny moments. While this movie could have benefited from fewer clichés and more unpredictability, it stands tall as the first good comedy of 2007.

When you ride a motorcycle, sometimes it's really hot and sometimes it's really cold. Sometimes it rains and sometimes you get bugs smashed against your face shield and jacket. Occasionally you ride and everything is perfect (like the pictures you see on motorcycle ads). To a real motorcyclist, you are willing to put up with all those discomforts to enjoy the freedom of the ride. Motorcycles do not have climate control and a sound proof cabin with a built in entertainment system. People who need those things will never get motorcycling and they will never get this movie. This movie is about 4 middle aged guys who realize what they have been doing for the past 20 years is exactly what they will be doing for the next 20 years.....and then they will grow old and die. Doug, Bobby, Dudley and Woody make the decision that they are going to leave their continual, hum-drum existence for a week or two and do something different for once in their lives. Can they escape their mundane lives long enough to actually get free? People who are happy to run out their lives just doing the same thing over and over again will never get Wild Hogs. If there is a Doug or a Bobby or a Dudley or a Woody inside of you, you will love this movie. For anybody else, Wild Hogs will be a pointless waste of time they could have otherwise dedicated to doing more of the same thing over and over again.

Great comedic storyline,cast of actors & locations. Watched this more than once,still brings laughs.

Four guys in their late forties - probably more early fifties ... ;-) – go through their midlife crisis. No matter if loving, nagging or no wife, life is just not what it used to be – or ever was. Adventures are searched for, and John Travolta (not acting his best in this movie) has the saving idea for his buddies: a real road trip on their bikes instead of their usual short trip to a biker bar once a week.

Like in "City Slickers" the men have to go through some adventures and become heroes before they emerge with new energy to battle the next years of getting older ... however, the adventures these guys have on their trip are hilarious. The end slows down a bit with its predictability but this movie is very entertaining, funny and the ticket money well worth.

18 August 2007. Even though there were few discontinuities, explanatory scenes left out, overall this movie is one of the more hilarious and funny movies of the year. It manages to maintain its sense of bewildering, humorous sight gags. William Macy is great, being the classic but sophisticated computer nerd while John Travolta gets to show off some of his breadth of both comedic and drama acting. This movie one of the best smooth endings into the credits and a satisfyingly decent if not completely believable twist. There is the typical macho, middle age man crises along the lines of "City Slickers." However, in this movie there is a better blending of home and family, interaction with the motorcycle gang Wildhogs as well as more social interaction with other characters. Presenting a performance and script above expectations, eight out of Ten Stars.