Wild Hogs (DVD, 2007)

Four middle-aged men, three stuck in dysfunctional relationships and one unable to even talk to a woman, get their motors running and head out on their Harleys in Wild Hogs, a comedy from Van Wilder director Walt Becker. Wild Hogs takes the 'let's throw in every goofy set-up we can and see if something works' approach to filmmaking and actually manages a few decent comedic moments - almost in spite of itself.

Pros

Travolta, Allen, Macy and Lawrence sell the friendship and fit together well
Enough slapstick comedy to keep it chugging along
It gets a few Brownie points for trying to include a little heart along with the laughs

Cons

Surprisingly homophobic for a studio film in this day and age
The nerdy computer guy can't use his own laptop - yeah, right!

Description

Stars John Travolta, William H Macy, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, Ray Liotta, and Marisa Tomei
The actors had varying degrees of experience riding motorcycles before the film, with Travolta easily the best of the group
Rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content, and some violence
Theatrical Release Date: March 2, 2007
Guide Review - "Wild Hogs" Movie Review

The Story

John Travolta, William H Macy, Tim Allen and Martin Lawrence play buddies who feel the need to escape from their 9-to-5 lives and decide the best way to recapture some of their lost youth is to take off on their Harleys. The foursome includes Doug (Allen), a dentist with identity issues; Bobby (Martin), a frustrated writer forced by his domineering wife to return to the world of plumbing; Dudley (Macy), a 40-year-old virgin who can't speak to a woman if his life depends on it; and Woody, the 'leader' of the pack who instigates the roadtrip. Woody's so-called charmed life with a swimsuit model wife and successful business is all a big front, and he needs to get away with his best buds to put some distance between himself and his troubles.

Off they go and, of course, absolutely nothing turns out as they planned. Their tents burn down and they encounter a motorcycle cop who believes the men are lovers and wants to join in on the fun. Things get really hairy when they run afoul of a group of real bikers who don't like couch potato posers who think black leather jackets and a cool logo patch are all it takes to be bikers.

To Sum It Up

Although they sound like an unlikely group of actors to play friends, Allen, Travolta, Macy and Lawrence are absolutely convincing. The acting's not the problem with Wild Hogs. The film's downfall is the time spent building the backstories and showing the families of the foursome. Wild Hogs might have been much more enjoyable if it left out their families completely and just concentrated on the buddy humor, freeing up time for more slapstick comedy - the part of the film that works the best.

Wild Hogs is forgettable, but fun in parts. From bull-slapping to naked waterhole antics, Wild Hogs tries its hardest to rise above road trip movie clichés and just barely makes it.

'Wild Hogs' is an All-Star Comedy that melds the talents of John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy in the cinematic equivalent of a supergroup.
Most of the humor can be described as "this is so dumb I can't believe I'm laughing," but there is nothing wrong with brain-dead comedy, so long as the jokes work. Of course, the problem with most movies of that ilk is that they quickly run out of gas and the jokes fall flat. That fate eventually befalls 'Wild Hogs' as well, although it scores extra points for a fun end-credit sequence — but mostly this congenial tale of middle-aged wannabe crazies proves surprisingly entertaining.
In this sissy-biker 'City Slickers', the stars are suburbanites in the throws of a collective midlife crisis. Their informal motorcycle club, the "Wild Hogs," is their only escape from their mundane existences. Dentist Doug (Allen), a one-time wild man, now spends his time watching his cholesterol and stewing over his inability to connect with his young son. Plumber Bobby (Lawrence) has to live with the ignominy that it is his wife, Karen (Tichina Arnold), who truly wears the pants in the family. Geeky, clumsy, and terminally shy computer programmer Dudley (Macy) has no real life. Formerly the most successful of all of them, Woody (Travolta) recently lost his business, his money, and his swimsuit-model wife.
So what are four guys whose self-esteem is in the toilet to do but heed Horace Greeley's advice to "Go West, Young Man!"?
Concept? : Travel West from Ohio to the Pacific Ocean, camping out on the open road and going wherever the highway takes them. Cell phones, wives, and kids are not allowed. Neither is common sense, apparently, as they think nothing of stopping in at a real biker bar, believing in some kind of fantasy of a motorcycle brotherhood.
The Del Fuegos, headed by hotheaded Jack (Ray Liotta channeling his psycho character from 'Something Wild' & 'Unlawful Entry' & 'Goodfella's'). The bar's regulars, disagree, and they're willing to chase the Hogs across the country—or at least to the nearby town of Madrid — to assert their differences.
The first half of 'Wild Hogs' is just plain silly, with the type of humor that arises out of male panic, whether it be fear of women or of homophobia (no one is ever quite sure of Dudley's sexuality, and when the quartet meets John C. McGinley's exuberantly gay Highway Patrolman, their reaction is hysterical in every sense of the word).
And while Travolta, Allen, and Lawrence are pleasant enough on screen, it is Macy who steals every scene he is in, whether he is falling off his motorcycle for the Zillionth Time or mouthing one of the inept Dudley's goofball lines. The man is a national treasure.
Once the Del Fuegos enter the scene, the humor is less reliable, possibly because Liotta is so intense it throws off the rhythm of the movie. And so, as stupid comedies often do, it begins to wear out its welcome.
But stick around !!!!
Kyle Gass' Cameo as perhaps the world's most insane karaoke singer (his cover of The 'Pussycat Dolls' - "Don't Cha" — with its refrain of "Don't Cha Wish Your Girlfriend was Hot Like Me? Don't Cha Wish your Girlfriend was a Freak Like Me?" — is worth the price of a movie ticket by itself).
The laughs may be more sporadic, but they still come. And sometimes that is about all anyone can wish for. Just make sure to check that brain at home — you won't be needing it.
Good Laughs !!!! Have Fun !!!!

"Wild Hogs" is simply entertaining. It is a funny movie about middle aged (maybe a little past middle-aged) friends, being talked into a long motorcycle trip by John Travolta. He presents this trip as a statement of manhood and freedom and dares his pals to go without cellphone and GPS, just see where the open road takes them.

"Wild Hogs" also stars Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen and William H. Macy as John Travolta's friends, forming the motorcycle "gang" the "Wild Hogs". Ray Liotta portrays a "real outlaw biker" and leader of the "Del Fuegos", with whom the "Wild Hogs" soon clash by accident.

The beautiful Marisa Tomei, "gay motorcycle cop" John C. McGinley and even the Teutuls (Paul Senior and Junior) all participate and make this movie even more fun.

The humor tends to be adult at times, but "Wild Hogs" is intended to be a comedy for grown-ups, and probably for those of us who can identify with wanting to have an adventure, getting away from it all for a change and feeling some freedom.

Simply summarized, this is just a fun movie. I would recommend "Wild Hogs" for pure entertainment value.

There's always at least one person who insists on ruining a great movies score by reviewing the seller or ebay instead of the movie itself..people please, if you haven't seen the movie don't leave a review..it's not that hard!! On to the movie: Kudos to everyone involved rarely do I laugh during the first few minutes of a comedy, but this one had me laughing hard from the very beginning to the very end..My Partner is a motorcycle fiend and she ate this movie up..Macy is hilarious as the bumbling motorcycle rider..Film begins with four bored silly Hubbies...one about to be divorced..the other lonely looking for love, but afraid of the opposite sex..the third henpecked and in need of some downtime and the fourth bored silly feeling left out of his kids lives..especially his young Sons! Deciding they need some quality guy time together they set out on a road trip that takes them into unknown territory and into biker gang danger..watch as they laugh, cry and run for their very lives in this funny film all about facing middle age..everyone will love this film..keep an eye on the kiddies..personally I saw no reason they shouldn't enjoy this film as well, but that should be up to each individual parent..I give this fun ride of a movie 5 out of 5 bars!!

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and wish we would have saw it in the theater. The overall blend of characters in this flick makes for enjoyable interactions and back stories.

John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen, and William H. Macy give great performanaces. William H. Macy as the geeky computer guy is believable and his motorcycle skills reflect his job.

I enjoyed Ray Liotta as the biker hoodlum and the appearance of Peter Fonda in the end paid homage to EasyRider.

Good, fun entertainment with some of today's talented actors. I fun parents night in front of the TV.