Wild Hogs

Directed by: Walt Becker

Premise: Four middle-aged friends (Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy) decide to reinvigorate their stale lives by taking their motorcycles on a road trip. Along the way they encounter a motorcycle gang and have to protect a town from the gang’s destructive behavior.

What Works: Overall, Wild Hogs has a very pleasant tone about it. The camaraderie of the four men is sufficient and they work well together. Each gets a distinct, if clichéd, back-story that gives each of them a sense of purpose. Although Allen, Lawrence and (to a lesser extent) Travolta are often recognized for their comedic talents, Wild Hogs gives its best moments to Macy as an awkward computer programmer. Although he has done comedic material before, Wild Hogs gives Macy a chance to do some physical comedy. He runs with the material and delivers some of the best moments in the film.

What Doesn’t: As amusing as Wild Hogs is, the film is never able to achieve the big laughs of a successful comedy. The picture seems to be holding back, waiting for something to click that never does. The story is formulaic, as four malcontents become town heroes under false premises,  bite off more than they can chew, and then are forced to rise to the occasion. Most disappointing is the ending, which does not require our heroes to take any affirmative action.

Bottom Line: Wild Hogs is good fun, a popcorn film that will be enjoyable for fans of the lead actors. It does not do much artistically and at the end of the day it is a forgettable film, but one that makes for an adequate diversion.