Somewhere out there, Tank Girl and BMX Bandits had a cast-away love child, and this film tells that story.
There's a post-apocalypse world with water in short supply. This is mostly controlled by Michael Ironside, who isn't as delicious as Malcolm McDowell's Tank Girl baddie, but has stolen some of his playbook. Instead of a girl with a tank, we have a boy on a BMX.
In a refreshing change for post-apocalypses, in this the revolution and the institution are both pedal powered. So if you're a bike nerd you'll get to see a lot of old bikes, and pseudo-old bikes.
It's a classic tale of bike-riding boy meets girl who is not all she seems. They fall in love and fight the baddies. First the boy sort of recreates his favourite comic-book/real-life hero, Turbo Rider.
Probably the best bits involve this films dedication to real-life blood and dismemberment special effects... lots of sliced and diced bodies and redunkulous squirting blood. Everyone plays their parts super seriously like they're actually in Star Wars. It's a NZ-Canada co-production so along the way there are multiple layers of accented intrigue and comedic weirding.
But it didn't quite land for me. Visually great, dedication to set and costumes is high.
J* gives it 3 stars.
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j* Movie Reviews 2019
HumorSpoilery recounts? Hilarious reviews? Serious takes? Just want to know what one female film reviewer who likes action thinks about the latest release? My collection of reviews from the releases of 2019.
