Movie Review # 99 BMX Bandits (1983)

Release: 1983
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Writer(s): Patrick Edgeworth, Russel Hagg
Cast: Nicole Kidman, John Ley,  David Argue


Ratings:
Rotten Tomatoes: 53% Audience
IMDb: 4.8/10
Netflix: 3 Stars


Review:
I am torn on how to review this movie. Do I review it as a kids BMX movie? Do I review it as a crime caper movie? Do I review it as a thriller? Because it is all three and none of them. As it is a comedy, a drama and just popcorn popping fun. It is the story of three kids PJ, Goose and Lucy who are BMX riders that find a abandoned crate of police walkie talkies.

Which then turns into them being chased by bad guys. Which turns into them using the walkie talkies against the bad guys and capturing them as they get their BMX track that they all want. The story is silly, campy and goofy. As is the acting and action. At the same time it is this silliness that makes this movie nostalgic. I would put up their with movies like Gleaming the Cube and Rad.

Both of which that take the extreme sports culture and runs with it. Gleaming the Cube is all about skateboarders and Rad is all about the racing aspect of BMX. Both of with share the same story elements of this one. That is of three kids usually two boys and one girl who over come odds. Which is about as standard as you can get as it goes into other genres.

Like Star Wars and Harry Potter being the most apparent of these types of movies. Which does not detract from it as it is a streamlined approach to story telling and it works well. The only faults I had with this movie is with who they had riding as Lucy through out. Nicole Kidman has a very womanly shape and hips while the rider they have for her. Is defiantly male and it is just one of those things you have ignore.

There are other things like the bikes lose foot pegs in the water slides and the bikes changing from platform pedals to another type to none. But you have to be severely picky to notice these. Which most people will not and will just watch this and see it for what this is. Which is a fun and enjoyable movie that most kids will enjoy. Especially kids who are into BMX riding and seeing where it all started.

As there was a time where riding a BMX was frowned upon and it was not looked on as a respectable thing. Where as today it is. So if anything watch this for that value alone and to see Nicole Kidman in her first ever acting role. As it shows that she had the it factor even then at the age of 16 in 1983.

My Rating 3 Stars out of 5