Review of The World's Fastest Indian (2005) by Shane V — 24 Dec 2009

Burt Munro is an aging mechanic living in Invercargill, New Zealand as the beloved good ol' boy next door. And his motorcycle, a 1920 Indian, is just as famous around town as he is. In 1967, Burt decides to undertake his dream of 25 years: go to America (the Bonneville, Utah Salt Flats to be exact) and see just how fast his Indian can go.

The third-place winner in my contest to be my 200th review is "The World's Fastest Indian." And boy, what a film. Excellent performance by Anthony Hopkins as Burt, the aged thrill-seeker. I try to make it a point never to look at a film based on a true story AS a true story, and see how it works on its own as a film. And it definitely works. Although the story is a bit hollow, the film makes up for it by having an infectious lead in Hopkins, and fine performances alongside him. It's somewhat of a typical 'abnormal person in America' story, but never belays that to a fault. The script is excellent as well. Excellent portrayals of even the many minor characters. And because of the harmonious simplicity of the plot and characters, you don't need to be a motorcycle fan, a racing fan, or a fan of any kind to enjoy this heart-filled tale. Although, being an Anthony Hopkins fan couldn't hurt your chances. Overall it's a hearty tale about a wonderful old man following his dreams without all the terrible emotional mush. It's a bit long, and at certain points it seems to tease us with a few pieces that go nowhere, but it's a solid film with a brilliant performance, good characters, and tied together with a great script. It's inspirational without being cheesy. And that's a rare find. So I give "The World's Fastest Indian" 8 lemon trees out of 10.

"Dirty old men need love too!" -Fran.

If you don't follow your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable." -Burt Munro.

"If you don't go when you want to go, when you do go, you'll find you've gone." -Burt Munro.