Review of Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) by Gordon H — 22 Jul 2007

The biker Harley and his Cowboy friend Marlboro learn that an old friend of them will lose his bar, because a bank wants to build a new complex there and demands 2.5 million dollars for a new contract in advance.

Harley and Marlboro decide to help him by robbing the corrupt bank. Unfortunately they target the wrong safety transport and get hold of an amount of a new synthetic drug.

Now they are targeted both by criminal bankers and killers of the drug mob...

Since it's release in 1991, I was desperate to see this 'futuristic sci-fi actioner' (i mean it's set in 1996) movie. I remember the reviews in Empire and film review '*', but the trailer had some good moments, and this was the era for action movies.

Having finally seen it today, I wasn't disappointed in the slightest. yes the story and script stink, yes it is clichéd and not politically correct, but what do you expect from a film that is called 'Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man' and even made Rourke confess he did this for 'monetary reasons'.

This is tack of the highest order, but it sure is a joy to watch and mock. we know these two are tough guys, because.

1. they wear the same clothes more or less through out the film.

2. they talk rubbish while playing pool, and then fight.

3. one's called Harley and rides a Harley.

4. one's called Marlboro, has Marboros in his mouth but doesn't smoke.

5. every woman that appears in the film wants to sleep with them within five seconds of seeing them.

Then there are the bad guys. we know these are bad because.

1. a skinny Tom Sizemore is in charge.

2. A fat unfamous Baldwin brother is the lead henchman.

3. the henchmen walk like Terminators 4. wear gay black jackets.

5. one of the henchman is the bloke off 'the running man' who had to 'SCORE SOME STEROIDS'.

But all of this never matters because the ending features a helicopter and laugh out loud moments. this what the late eighties/early nineties was all about, action movies that treated women as a derogatory minority, had slightly homosexual overtones (see the end with Johnson in chaps and Rourke saying 'wanna come with me?') and made little or no sense whatsoever. they don't make films like this anymore.....

They CAN'T make films like this anymore.

If you want to spend 90 minutes watching people get shot, punched, thrown out of windows etc, then this is for you, if you are expecting an epic of Kurosawa or Fellini proportions steer clear.

A great fun flick.