I have to admit that I definitely was not excited about seeing "Biker Boyz." To me, it looked like a "Fast and the Furious" knock-off, but luckily this was not the case.
The movie begins by introducing us to the underground world of motorcycle racing in Los Angeles, where Smoke (Laurence Fishburne) is the undisputed king. Fortunately, the similarities between "Fast and the Furious" and "Biker Boyz" end there.Racing participants are divided into separate clubs -- the Black Knights and Strays -- and each time a person wins, it's a victory for the whole gang. The club members represent a variety of races and ages and most have professional jobs during the day and race by night.
For example, Soul Train (Orlando Jones) is an attorney and Kid (Derek Luke, recently of "Antwone Fisher" fame) is a college student. Kid is a prospect, a biker in training, for Smoke's crew, the Black Knights, when he decides to form his own gang, the Biker Boyz. He makes this decision after he and Smoke have a dispute that is far more important than the macho vendetta you would expect in this type of movie.
Kid ends up being the number one contender for Smoke's crown. Seems predictable enough, right?
There are serious plot twists in this movie, however, that keep you on the edge of your seat, just like the stunning racing scenes.
So what separates "Biker Boyz" from the rest of action movies that depend too heavily on complicated action sequences, half-naked stars and loud volume? For starters, the screenplay is far more realistic and not nearly as corny as what we normally see for movies of this genre.It actually left room for the actors and actresses to act! Kid's mother, Anita (Vanessa Bell Calloway, from "Oh Drama"), brought a new dimension to the film.Her sassy, funny and sincere role gives movie-goers a glimpse into the bikers' family lives that made them human beings instead of lunatics hyped up on too much adrenaline. Kid's girlfriend Tina (Meagan Good, from "Eve's Bayou") and Smoke's main squeeze, Queenie (Lisa Bonet, from "The Cosby Show") gave the film a romantic edge.They're not just thrown in there for good measure and sex appeal, but rather so that we can see their relationships develop. The female characters in the movie are more than pretty faces.
This A-list cast also includes Tyson Beckford -- who does pretty well, especially considering that he's a model -- Lawrenz Tate, Djimon Hounsou ("Amistad"), and Kid Rock. Unlike most movies that throw in a rapper or singer to sell tickets, "Biker Boyz" gave Kid Rock a role that he could handle.He plays Dogg, the main racer for the Strays, who is on the heels of Smoke's crown.
At this point, you're probably wondering why, if the movie was so good, I only give it two and a half stars?
Well, you see, "Biker Boyz" had potential. If it had just extended its focus a little more, it would have been a far better movie.Take, for example, the romance of the movie. Although all of the females exemplify strength, wisdom, humor, etc., we aren't allowed to get a full view of it; it's as if "Biker Boyz" bit off more than it could chew.
Directors Reggie Rock Bythewood and Gina Prince-Bythewood attempted to add depth to the movie, which at first glance would seem like a mindless action flick, by fusing important themes of deception, love, family and self-exploration. This could have been great, but the film's 90 minutes did not allow enough time to give all these topics the attention they deserve.
The Black Knights themselves are a little cliché. They are presented to us as an underground organization, yet have such a rigid and long list of rules that they seem more like a government than a biker gang. In one scene, they even go as far as having a bike wash for charity. The screenwriters utilized this to give the Black Knights legitimacy, purpose and ethics, but it comes across as phony.
All in all, "Biker Boyz" is an entertaining movie. The directors worked in the right direction in attempting to give this film more dimension than just stunning tricks. Unfortunately, there is too much going on for us to build any sort of rapport with the characters or to care how their lives end up.
The all-star cast even created problems. Although they exemplify the beacon of black talent, I wanted to see more of each character. Wood (Tate) and Motherland (Hounsou) are unjustly never developed, thus failing to convey the talent of these two men to the audience.
Everything else aside, I definitely still would recommend this movie. "Boyz" provides stunning tricks for the action buff and enough plot twists, humor and romance for the casual movie-goer. Although it fails in many critical aspects of filmmaking, the movie is a good one to see with your "boyz" if you're not looking for an intellectual outing.
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