The ‘stunning yet gritty’ drama featuring Tom Hardy and Jodie Comer has now been launched on streaming platforms.
The Bikeriders is a film that tracks the journey of a Midwestern motorcycle club, The Vandals, from 1965 to 1973.
After a chance meeting at a local pub, the strong-minded Kathy (Jodie Comer) finds herself attracted to Benny (Austin Butler), the latest recruit of the Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals, which is led by the mysterious Johnny (Tom Hardy).
As the club begins to change, it shifts from being a refuge for local misfits to a perilous underworld riddled with violence, compelling Benny to choose between Kathy and his allegiance to the club.
This 2024 film, directed by Jeff Nichols, draws inspiration from Danny Lyon’s 1968 photobook bearing the same title.
The Bikeriders is an American crime drama film written and directed by Jeff Nichols. The film stars Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, and Norman Reedus (Image: Focus Features)
The Bikeriders boasts a star-studded cast including Norman Reedus from The Walking Dead, Mike Shannon from Knives Out, and Boyd Holbrook from Narcos. Other notable cast members include Paul Sparks, Emory Cohen, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp, and Karl Glusman.
Audiences can catch The Bikeriders on Sky Cinema Premiere and NOW starting Friday, February 7. The film is also available for purchase or rental on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Apple TV.
Despite being produced on a relatively modest budget of $40 million, the film struggled to break even, only managing to gross $35 million at the box office.
Austin Butler and Jodie Comer in The Bikeriders (Image: BANG Showbiz.)
Currently, The Bikeriders holds an 81% rating on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes after 275 reviews, with an audience rating of 75%.
The film has been hailed as “stunning” for its striking visuals and cinematography, while also being described as “gritty” due to its stark violence and rugged characters.
A review from the Irish Times stated: “Most contemporary westerns end up mourning a vanished era of compromised freedom.
Tom Hardy’s Johnny wants Austin Butler to take over the gang in The Bikeriders (Image: YouTube / 20th Century Studios)
“The Bikeriders doesn’t quite believe in that myth, but it still finds time to dampen a handkerchief as its shadow recedes. A flawed, fascinating film.”
Another reviewer noted: “Jeff Nichols has proven to be a character-driven filmmaker ever since his debut.
“He continues that with The Bikeriders, burrowing down to the essence of these personalities as societal outsiders who want to be a part of something.”