Bande de sauvages

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.

I know it's a cliché, but this is a "must see movie". It was the shortest 99 minutes I have ever spent watching a movie. Ninety-nine minutes without a let-up or a let-down. Ninety-nine minutes of hilarity. Even thought this movie was funny, it also had redeeming values! We get to learn that men who thought they were wimps discover they have a pair of balls. The rules say this review must be at least ten lines. Ten lines are not really necessary for this action/comedy. It was fast. It was funny. Go see it. I guess I've got to add more lines to get this qualified. You will see a side of John Travolta that you haven't seen before. The same with William Macey. Tim Allen was Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence was Martin Lawrence. Ray Liota, as always, was great. And Marisa Tomei as beautiful as ever. Go see it.

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.

From a Disney story about middle aged blokes riding motorbikes... It's funny in places, has some great actors in it and it's just about okay for the family (The cop stuff could be an issue for youngens).

But after a sunday dinner, with a bevvy, with the family, it can be a nice adventure comedy to stick on. Ignore the hate and try it honestly...