Wild Hogs DVD Review

While middle-age actresses just seem to disappear from films, actors have more option. Many actors have successful careers as they age while others don’t do as well as time goes on. Wild Hogs is nearly entirely made up of actors who had a great deal of success in earlier years but now struggle with roles. The roles for these actors usually tend to be more derogatory. This may have somewhat to do with the emasculating way that married men are portrayed in film and television, seen as a joke more than a threat. Each of the characters in Wild Hogs are perfect examples. John Travolta plays a bankrupt man with a failed marriage to a supermodel, William H. Macy is a klutz who can’t talk to women, Martin Lawrence is a plumber who is bossed around by his wife and Tim Allen is a dentist who has lost his lust for life. They are all somewhat pathetic, and a sad representation of men which is the basis for most of the humor.

These unimpressive men all decide to take a road trip on their Harleys to live up their old days. It’s basically City Slickers working the Easy Rider angle rather than the old west. Although the plot seems to be directed at middle-aged men it is almost as if the film still seems to be attempting to please a younger generation with sophomoric humor. Unfortunately it doesn’t work both ways and while moments of the film feel sincere there are far too many forced situations. The over-reliance on gay humor between the four middle-aged and clean-cut friends riding their Harleys across the country is almost as lazy as the slapstick crashes and mishaps along the way. One mishap ends with the Wild Hogs getting in a confrontation with a vicious group of bikers, Del Fuegos, led by an enthusiastic Ray Liotta.

Predictably each of the men is given some obstacle along the way which betters them as people and everyone is happy, but the film is fun enough for harmless entertainment. There are many things that can not be taken seriously about Wild Hogs, but if any of the actors have seemed likable in the past this film might prove satisfying. It is just as certain that if any of these actors annoy you, this film is the last likely thing to satisfy cinematic cravings.

The DVD includes a few featurettes, a commentary track, and bonus footage. The highlight of the special features is the outtake reel. Outtakes are often the funniest part of a bad film, and while Wild Hogs isn’t terrible, there are about as many laughs in the special features as there are in the film. The commentary track has director Walt Becker and writer Brad Copeland, but the cast is sorely missing. The featurettes include the usual making-of compilation as well as a slightly clever “How to Get your Wife to Let You Buy a Motorcycle”.