Movie Review: Biker Boyz

Between "Biker Boyz" and "Torque," Vin Diesel is slated for some competition on the open roads this year. While fans of big bikes with big engines are going to have to wait until fall for Ice Cube's "Torque," they can catch "Biker Boyz" starting this Friday.

The film revolves around Kid (Derek Luke), who witnesses his father die in a freak accident as the movie begins. He shifts the blame onto Smoke (Lawrence Fishburne), the "King of Cali," on the motorcycle circuit. From there, the plot is fairly standard, with Kid trying to overcome adversity while Smoke stands in the way.

The problem with "Biker Boyz" is that the adversities are not really all they seem. The viewer is supposed to see Kid as the hero and Smoke as the villain, but somewhere in the scriptwriting process, something went wrong. Kid comes off as an angry young man that knows what he wants and will do whatever it takes to get it, even if that means being an immature fool.

On the other hand, Smoke does not feel like a villain, but instead, the "wise old sage" that tries to help the hero on his path. If the hero hates the smart old man, then from whom does he have to learn?

In truth, it doesn't even matter. The bikes overshadow anything that resembles a dramatic plot in this film. What viewers will notice about the plot is that it has been done by countless movies trying to fill in the void that an article from a magazine leaves: no characters, no plot and no emotion.

Veteran actor Laurence Fishburne (in his first feature since 1999's "The Matrix) is left high and dry in this film, as are all the other actors. None of the actors in this film are highly regarded as Fishburne, though, which makes him seem out of place.

Luke, in his second major film, does not live up to the hype garnered from his first film "Antwone Fisher." He seems to be trying too hard at his role of the eager young biker out to avenge his father's death. What may count as good acting in a respectable drama like "Fisher" comes off as way over the top in "Biker Boyz."

The best acting in this film comes from Orlando Jones. The comedian, who starred in 2001's "Evolution," brings to his smaller supporting role what no other actor in the film can: awareness that this is not a serious movie.

The worst performance comes from Kid Rock ("Joe Dirt," "Osmosis Jones"). Rock seems to think that because people buy his records, they'll like him as an actor - but since his talent is negligible, this is unlikely.

The fact that none of the actors in this film had strong parts is not their fault, but the fault of the script and direction, both credited to Reggie Rock Bythewood. Although he wrote Spike Lee's 1996 "Get On The Bus," Bythewood seems to have forgotten what he knew then about the art of scriptwriting.

With virtually no interesting plot or characters, the viewer is left with only motorcycle races to hold his or her interest for two hours. It's almost enough - Blythewood is a master of crafting electrifying race sequences. Rolling camera angles and pumping music are great at getting the viewer's blood pumping. If he had only brought that excitement to the dramatic parts in the film, he could have saved his movie.

While not a "contemporary Western" or a "mythical tale of father and son," "Biker Boyz" is a movie made for fans of such films as the aforementioned "Fast and the Furious." If that's whom the filmmakers set out to please, then mission accomplished. If not, at least the races were exciting.