BMX Bandits

1984 "They're burning up the streets!"
5.5| 1h32m| PG| en
Details

Teens P.J. and Goose get their thrills on BMX bikes, performing hair-raising tricks all across Sydney, Australia. Along with their new friend Judy, they discover a box of walkie-talkies -- and find out that a gang of criminals intends to use them to monitor police signals during a bank robbery. When the young trio snatches the devices, it propels them on a hair-raising adventure in which their pedaling skills might just save their necks.

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Nilsen Premiere

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Also starring Angelo D'Angelo

Reviews

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
Cristal The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Smoreni Zmaj Cult movie of my childhood. I think that in my elementary school there was no one who didn't see this at least few times and it was one of everyone's favorites. Now, three decades later, I see it from different perspective and I could find bunch of flaws. But I won't. Tonight it was still entertaining and all the time I wished to find my old BMX, fix it up and get wild for old times sake. Until ten years ago I was always on the bike. It was my main mean of transportation. I rode it to work, made tours around Serbia and even rode it to clubs on weekend nights. Maybe that's why this movie leaves stronger impression on me than it should, or maybe it's because of 16 years old Nicole Kidman. I think we were all in love with her in those days. :D7/10
Joel Bragg Our Squadron has embarked on a most triumphant adventure, to ascertain the best-worst film of the 1980s. After a vast amount of study, and many efficacious screenings, we fell upon an IMDb endorsement…BMX Bandits. While none of us have ever seen this film, and judging solely on user reviews, the movie cover, and pictures from various scenes, we resolved to give it a viewing.The opening scene produced smiles to everyone's faces with anticipation of the potential astounding phenomenon that was to come. Those same smiles metamorphosed to looks of bewilderment as this same opening scene dragged on for five, nay ten minutes. Not long after, the initial chase scene began…and never ended.Aside from the unquestionably awful acting, the requisite for a translator to decipher the dialogue, mediocre bike stunts, unequivocally incompetent bad guys, and absolutely no plot whatsoever…never mind, it was just horrifying anyway you look at it. The only redeeming…sorry, I did it again, there was no redeeming quality. It was just that vile.Not many weeks before, we screened the film "Rad" and were mystified by its pure, unalloyed cinematography and tremendous BMX stunts. I deem it was a mistake, a most heinous mistake, to think that this movie could even come close to paralleling it. Some users compared "BMX Bandits" to the "Goonies." We all laughed and celebrated the scenes of our young heroes braving the copious traps set forth before them and relished in the memorable characters and musical compositions that would leave us singing these songs for days…wait, sorry, it didn't have any of that.When the credits finally completed rolling across the screen, I rose from my chair and gently flicked the switch to the lights above. The quiet hum they produced broke the silence that seemed to linger. What I saw next will forever be seared into my soul. Grown men, warriors who have braved numerous attacks and survived the harshest of environments were broken. Three lay on the floor, crouched in the fetal position, shaking and crying out for their mothers far away. One was bent over the nearby garbage can, emptying the contents of his stomach in an effort to cleanse what he had witnessed. Another simply sat in his chair as his bowels cried "no more" and emptied itself onto the ground. Yet the majority of us simply stared ahead, deep in thought. It wasn't in disbelief of what we had just forced ourselves to observe, but rather in self-reflection of how the deepest part of us will all be forever changed.Even though we are fighting in Afghanistan, and any time away from reality is valued more than any wealth, none of us can get those 88 minutes back…none of us. After the film we made a pact, once this review was complete, and submitted to you good people, we would never speak of it again.
Wizard-8 "BMX Bandits" has built up somewhat of a cult over the years, the obvious reason being that it involves BMX enthusiasts, as well as the fact that a pre-fame Nicole Kidman is one of the stars. However, I don't think it can be called a good film. While it was made for theaters, the movie constantly has a visual appearance that makes it look like it was made for television. There is also a bit less BMX racing than you might think - after a few minutes of it at the beginning of the movie, there is no more for the next half hour. And while the director tried to pump up the BMX sequences with carefully selected camera angles, it doesn't hide the fact that the BMX racing and stunt work isn't very exciting. But I'm not the target audience. Kids will probably like this movie a lot more than I did, though I think even they will find the movie has more than its share of slow spots.
airons1972 This may be interesting to fans of this movie. Most of the movie was filmed in Manly, NSW, Australia which is a coastal town not far from Sydney. A ferry ride across sydney harbour away, in fact.The BMX track at the end of the movie, just before the credits roll is actually Hickeys Lane BMX track which was located in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.Penrith is a city west of Sydney and I lived there from 1984 to 1989. I have fond memories of riding my BMX at Hickeys Lane and it's great to actually see it in a movie.If you play the BMX track part of the movie slowly, you can see the Blue Mountains in the background behind the park.In the end credits there is a thank you message to Western Sydney BMX Club. Penrith now has a new BMX track and from what I have read on the internet, Hickeys Lane BMX track is no longer in use.Regards,Ashley Irons