Review of BMX Bandits (1983) by Allan C — 25 Jan 2015

Entertaining, though thoroughly ridiculous kids film, from down under. Aussie exploitation director Brian Trenchard-Smith, who did classic grindehouse flicks like "Stunt Rock," "Escape 2000" and a personal favorite "Dead End Drive-In" (he also made "Leprechaun 4: In Space"), made this surprisingly family friendly film about a group of BMX bike riding friends who come across a stash of stolen police radios that the bad guys want to use for a bank job.

The Home Alone-like bumbling villains do their darned to get the plucky kids, one if whom is a 16 year old Nicole Kidman in her first film role. Kidman is good in her role and one of the plucky kids, though I'm not sure you'd necessarily say she commands the screen or that it was obvious she'd be a star (as compared to early Angelina Jolie parts in trashy films like "Cyborg 2").

The film has good sense of place, showing off lots of uniquely looking Australian locations. There's also a fun 1980s nostalgia to the film with arcades, 80s clothes and music. It's all very silly, but it's a breezy enjoyable time.