Stone Cold
The biker movie genre is one that is sparse with true undisputed classics, in many ways because Hollywood has rarely gotten it right when it comes to depicting real life motorcycle gangs with any discernible accuracy whatsoever. Certainly Brandoâs The Wild One was an early benchmark, along with a slew of mostly low budget dreck in the 1960s, as well as the shining example of Easy Rider (if that counts) and the early Billy Jack âprologueâ film, Born Losers. But amazingly in 1991 came along a film that not only felt true to life of the real life biker phenomenon, it turned the intensity meter completely over the top to make it an amazingly entertaining flick in its own right as opposed to a dull, boring expose, and in so doing established itself as one of the outright greatest (and most underrated) action movies of all time as well, even gaining more precedence recently with the widely covered rash of biker related violence in Texas and the mainstream success of the TV show Sons Of Anarchy. Starting off as the brainchild and final produced screenplay of 74 year old Walter Doniger, who had a mostly pedestrian career as a writer and director of low budget movies and old black and white TV shows spanning to as far back as the 1940s, albeit his work was still well known for being of a quite âmasculineâ nature all while conforming to the known standards and practices of what was allowed to be shown and said back in those antiquated days, but here, he seemed to unleash some long suppressed primal fury loaded with carnage, violence, and what can definitely be described as extremely harsh language coupled with some very tough talk coming out of the mouths of some top acting talent, which ironically won him criticism from some of his old colleagues for writing something that seemed to be so âroughâ, even as the nature of the writing makes one feel as if this script was really its writerâs true magnum opus that he had been waiting for his whole life to come up with, as former stuntman Craig Baxley was brought in to handle the directing duties with a prepared and professional polish. Certainly the details of how biker clubs and their members regard each other (in a positive way) are emphasized, such as how all of the members consider themselves to be a family, a certain code of honor is maintained even when dealing with those whom they despise, and also how they hold a very strict adherence to watching each otherâs backs even if it comes down to fighting or giving up their lives for their brothers in order to live up to their collective sense of undying loyalty, even as the (fictional) gang in this movie (The Brotherhood) seems fully dedicated to a more depraved higher cause of bringing respectable society down to its knees, even if that means committing acts that could definitely be construed as outright terrorism, cold blooded murder, drug dealing, and prostitution rackets. In the lead role of the storyâs swaggering action hero, we get Brian Bosworth, a former NFL linebacker for The Seattle Seahawks whose name back then had quickly become synonymous with the term âpop culture iconâ mostly for his brash good looks, unique version of the mullet haircut, and hard hitting style of play on the football field. But alas, âThe Bozâ had only used the game as a means to an end, retiring very early from pro football to embark on a career as a movie star, with this outing being his very first starring role (and last good one). Bosworth is cast as Joe Huff, an unconventional (and on suspension) Alabama cop (introduced in an opening action scene that almost appears to spoof the first scene of Stalloneâs Cobra) who has logged more âbiker related arrestsâ than any other law enforcement agent, making him someone whom while he rides his own custom made chopper, has almost come to despise the known tactics and values of those who live the lifestyle that seems centered around the tendency to ride along in large packs and commit acts of excessive violence. Nonetheless, being large, intimidating, and a virtual fighting machine in his own right compels the FBI to take him off suspension and place him undercover with The Brotherhood in Mississippi, where it turns out that one of their members (a bald, scowling, mean looking bastard who doesnât even get one word of dialogue despite his major importance to the plot) has been convicted of first degree murder and yet sentenced to only 45 years (!) in a federal penitentiary (even as the other members sit in the courtroom and openly threaten the old judge during the sentencing before the elderly man is blown completely to smithereens in his fishing boat for not letting this murderer go free outright). But the real target is the overzealous attorney general (with intentions of being Governor) who intends to relentlessly appeal the case till he gets a death penalty verdict and publicly vows to bring the whole gang down as time goes on. Bosworth (now calling hmself âJohn Stoneâ) successfully implants himself within the gang and quickly gets an audience with their brilliant, charismatic, yet psychotic leader, Chains Cooper played by the legendary Lance Henriksen. Those who know Henriksen from his darkly layered good guy roles will find a lot to savor here, as he manages to make Chains a dark horse candidate for Greatest Action Movie Villain Of All Time, driven by the fact that he really does intend to literally take both himself and the others on an almost martyr style mission to avenge his imprisoned comrade, and is living so dangerously (and irrationally) that he not only allows Bosworth into his inner circle when he knows full well from the getgo that he might be a cop, but even calls off his own men and allows Bosworth to live after The Boz actually beats his ass over a perceived showing of disrespect on Chainsâ part. Indeed, as Chains (always sweating profusely even when seemingly calm and relaxed) starts getting more and more carried away with his own violent and evil actions, even a couple of his own members start realizing that heâs going way too far, and more importantly, that he could soon wind up bringing down the whole club and their entire beloved way of life with the downward path that heâs leading them on. And nobody is more actively aware of this than the ferocious William Forsythe as Ice, the second in command of the gang who develops an immediate distrust in Bosworth and urges Chains to either kill him or drop him as soon as possible before he destroys them all, not realizing that having everyone go out in an ultimate blaze of glory was Chainsâ intention all along. The film at one point even manages to humanize the gang when they go to visit one of their injured comrades in the hospital, laughing and joking with him to cheer him up in a way that almost seems touching, and we also get a funeral scene for one of their own where the departed is placed onto his own bike and lit up in flames Viking style. Meanwhile, Bosworth is hard at work trying to sweet talk Chainsâ old lady (Arabella Holzbog) into possibly leaving with him to turn states evidence and testify, all while dealing with an obscenely dipshit partner (longtime movie dipshit Sam McMurray) before he becomes aware of âD Dayâ, their heavily planned assault on the courthouse where their brother is being resentenced by the State Supreme Court, even utilizing a stolen Army helicopter for some kind of haphazard getaway with Chains going so far as disguising himself as a priest while cutting his hair short and shaving his beard (and ironically looking more like the Lance Henriksen we all know and love) as the last 25 minutes take the film into full overdrive with this sequence, daringly killing off likable characters and setting the stage as the now exposed Bosworth is meant to have dynamite strapped onto him to set off an explosion in the sky as a âdistractionâ. The amazing contrast here is in how the attorney general, along with the judges, lawyers, and onlookers are so calm and relaxed before the storm. Even with The National Guard outside, we realize that these are all still overly civilized people who would never expect to die a gruesomely violent death while just doing their jobs, even as their prisoner sits at the defendantâs table snarling like an animal as if he just wants to kill everybody. And indeed, bloody mayhem and carnage (âWelcome to my slaughterhouse.â) is what breaks loose in this quiet little courthouse as The Brotherhood rampages on their final ride to bring the system down once and for all, with the irony being that as we watch each of these members of this biker gang get cut down one by one at the hands of Bosworth and others, the truth is that in hindsight Chains has already WON, succeeding beautifully in his master plan all while knowing the whole time that he probably wasnât getting out alive himself anyway. Regardless, after an incredible display of sound and fury that signifies if nothing else that The Brotherhoodâs actions this day will be remembered in infamy, it is Bosworth who survives to do his legendary end credits Victory Walk, swaggering into action movie history for a classic that will be remembered forever and fired up for anyone looking for something just a little bit more kickass than usualâŚ
10/10