World's Fastest Indian, The (HD DVD)

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Note: In the following joint effort, John wrote the first film review, the video, audio, extras, and closing remarks, and Erik wrote the second film review.

The Film According to John:
It seems as if in the last few decades we've seen Anthony Hopkins showing up in films either as a decided villain, sometimes of the most-heinous kind ("Silence of the Lambs," "Hannibal," "Red Dragon," "Fracture") or as a loveable old codger ("The Road to Wellville," "Hearts in Atlantis," "Proof"). In "The World's Fastest Indian" Hopkins is in full loveable mode. And so is the movie.

Hopkins plays the real-life New Zealander Burt Munro (1899-1978), who at the age of sixty-eight set the land speed record for under 1000 cc motorcycles at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. "The World's Fastest Indian" (2005) recounts Burt's experiences getting to Bonneville, the "holy ground" of racing, starting in the early 1960s.

Munro owned, built, tuned, rode, and raced motorcycles all his life. But his first attempt to reach Bonneville was far from easy. At the time the movie begins, Burt is a pensioner, living alone, and forever tinkering with his ancient, 1920, modified Munro Special Indian Scout motorcycle. He's got hardly enough money to get to America, let alone stay there long enough to find Utah. The film's writer and director, Roger Donaldson, divides the picture into three parts: Burt's endeavors to find backing to get to America, Burt's odyssey to the Salt Flats, and Burt's time trials at Bonneville. But, really, the film is about Burt and his acquaintances. It's the character of Burt Munro and the personal relationships he has in the movie more than the actual, historical events, that make the story so personable and pleasant.

Things begin in New Zealand, where we meet Burt and his friends, a lady of close ties, Fran (Annie Whittle), and a neighbor boy, Tom (Aaron Murphy), whose parents think he's a crackpot. Well, actually, you can't blame the neighbors; Burt pees on his lemon tree to fertilize it and tries burning down his lawn rather than mowing it. Then we meet a motorcycle gang that threatens to disrupt the idyllic countryside but doesn't. After that we see Burt working his way across the Pacific to Los Angeles on a tramp steamer, with his motorcycle in the hold, and then his trek from L.A. to Utah. During his trip, he meets more colorful characters, like Fernanado (Paul Rodriguez), a used-car salesman whom he befriends; Tina (Chris Williams), a transvestite whom he befriends; Jake (Saginaw Grant), a Native American whom he befriends; Rusty (Patrick Flueger), a soldier whom he befriends; Ada (Diane Ladd), a lady whom he befriends; Jim (Chris Lawford), a fellow racer whom he befriends; and Rollie (William Lucking), a motorcycle enthusiast whom he befriends.

Just how does Burt befriend all these new people, all of whom offer to help him, a stranger, in one way or another? By being himself. By being nice. By being continuously cheerful and upbeat. No matter how desperate the situation, Burt always maintains an optimistic outlook. He has an indomitable will, an invariable politeness, and an unfailing sense of humor. Obviously, they serve him (and the audience) well. The movie remains cheerful, upbeat, optimistic, polite, and humorous to the end.

I might add that Burt, at least in the film, also has a penchant for aphorisms. He seems never at a loss for pithy maxims like "You live more in five minutes on a bike like this going flat out than some people live in a lifetime." Or "Danger is the spice of life, and you've got to take a risk now and again, haven't you?" Or, summing up the movie's major theme, "If you don't follow through on your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable."

OK, if there was one small matter that did begin to grate on me in time, it was Burt's hearing loss. I'm sure this part of his makeup was accurate, but it began to get old really fast listening to Burt say "What?" "Huh?" "Eh?" and "What's that?" about every two minutes. Then again, in a few instances his being hard of hearing endears him to us and even reveals something about his personality, so mine is but a minor qualm.

Director Donaldson apparently had wanted to make this film for some time, having done a short documentary on Munro in 1971 when the man was still living, a film included among the disc's extras. When Donaldson finally got the chance, he created an air of authenticity by filming almost entirely on location in New Zealand, Los Angeles, New Mexico, and, of course, Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. It works.

"The World's Fastest Indian" is essentially an inspirational sports story, but only the original "Rocky" can match it for sheer heart. It's a great feel-good film, with a sweetness and inspiration that are hard to beat.

"Burt returned to Bonneville nine times setting numerous land speed records. Burt's 1967 record for streamlined motorcycles under 1000 cc's still stands."

The Film According to Erik:
"The World's Fastest Indian" is a fairly straightforward film. It unravels rather unspectacularly, but does so in a tried-and-true formula that allows Anthony Hopkins to shine. His Burt Munro is a role that you can't imagine being played by anyone else (even if it based on a true story). Director Roger Donaldson has fashioned a film that, despite being an essentially by-the-numbers take on the material, is an inspirational and touching account of one man's passion.

It took Donaldson some 25 years to get Munro's tale to the big screen. His love of Burt's story is readily apparent in the way he handles the material. Donaldson wants to charm you just as Burt does. Much like Burt, the film is simple but grows on you rather quickly due to Munro's pervasive charm. The movie opens in 1960's New Zealand, where Burt is in the midst of working on his 1920 Indian motorcycle. His obsession with the bike is evident. He lives rather modestly, disturbs the neighbors with his early morning bike tests and cheerfully goes about his business while maintaining the love and support of his community.

Like Donaldson's devotion to the film, such is Burt's devotion to his motorcycle. He has spent well over 20 years working on his bike, perfecting it from day to day using the very limited resources he has at his disposal. His dream is to get the bike to the United States where he hopes to enter the Bonneville speed week trials at the Salt Flats in Utah. He endures some hardships along the way, including a slightly humiliating racing defeat, early on, by a group of Kiwi bikers.