Robert Brooks
This film has been reviewed by many a film and cycle enthusiast alike both highlighting the cycling inaccuracies or weaknesses in the acting or the plot etc etc.The simple facts are films of this nature are there to entertain and excite you. American Flyers does that with bells on, not only is the soundtrack typically 80's genius, but the landscapes are stunning and the storyline is simple. So all you need do is flick off your shoes, lie back with a bag of popcorn and enjoy!In addition, you get to see Costners Mo in full 80's glory, some classic old school road bikes, and a treadmill scene that would rival any Rocky training montage.Any 80's movie fan would and should love this film, and if you don't then I am afraid to say then you have lost sight of what a film is there to do!
Scott Burns
I get to be Siskel AND Ebert on this one.Two-dimensional characters, hammy acting, a disease-of-the-week storyline, and absolutely no surprises earns this one a "thumbs down".On the other hand...I have another thumb, and this one is way up! Director John Badham ("Saturday Night Fever", "Blue Thunder") really knows how to use the camera when things are in motion. In this case, it's a bicycle race with Colorado National Monument as the spectacular backdrop. Throw in the pulse-pounding soundtrack by Lee Ritenour and Greg Mathieson, and you can almost forgive the sappy soap opera.Not a great movie, but definitely worth the ride.
TJPhotoGuy
This is one of my top 30 movies of all time. This movie is mainly about competition - digging down as deep as you can, and putting it all on the line - which sometimes still isn't enough to win against someone next to you. Yes watching it today it seems a bit corny, but the plot and story is excellent. There's also love, tragedy, drama and beautiful scenery in this one. For the uninformed, the twist at the end will send you in a whirlwind.Also noteworthy is the fantastic music in this movie.Highly recommended.-TJ
gvdeplas
It's easy to pick on this movie. Personally, I like bicycle races, it's more or less part of popular culture in my country (Belgium). So I do like the subject but the movie gives me the feeling they aren't focusing on the same sport I adore so much. The reason is not that it's an American race, those have existed as long as the races in Europe. The US even were one of the first countries that joined the UCI (World Cycling Organization, for the smart asses UCI is it's French name). Many immigrants imported their local cycling races to the States where they were popular among the working classes (as in Europe). So I don't accuse the US of not having a cycling past, they just focussed their attention more towards basketball, baseball, American football and athletics.It just doesn't seem like cycling because the cyclists never gain a certain form or rhythm of competition. They just practice individually and perform good at those couple of races. But that's not reality. Lance Armstrong for instance races in many races for months to gain a certain rhythm that's good enough to win the Tour de France again. Off course, that would have made the movie dull and leaves less place for the Hollywood drama or the competition between the Americans and Soviets. But I liked the little part they offered the greatest cyclist ever, Eddy Merckx who won almost every big race in his career (only Paris-Tours he was unable to win).I don't know why this movie was made. It more or less makes me think of Victory (Escape to Victory) where PoW's offer to play a football (soccer) match against a German team and escape during half time. Hollywood tries to use sports very popular in (some parts of) Europe but not in the States. Why? Profit? To promote these sports in the US? Both?
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