Yes, the movie is dated. Yes the movie is predictable. Yes, some of the acting is cheesey. And yes, it's an inspirational movie despite all that. I really enjoy this movie and manage to toss it into the VCR twice a year or so if for no other reason that I love to see the Colorado scenery go by during the race scenes and to hear the Star Spangled Banner .... Hey, they are playing our song!


Great for cyclists or '80s cheese fans; hell for others   June 25, 2002
 9 out of 13 found this review helpful

At times sublime, at times laughably awful, this ever-so-'80s relic of American cycling's grass-roots days never fails to put a smile on my face.

This is the story of a type-A+ doctor/Olympic cycling team alternate (Kostner) and his unfocused-but-talented brother Danny and their somewhat wobbly voyage of male bonding, family catharsis and, of course, competitive cycling. We start with the annoyingly, eternally cowboy-hatted Danny getting a call from his estranged brother, a very skinny and huge-moustached Kostner (the pair in fact look far more like gay porn stars than athletes) informing him that he'll be visiting the family. We soon learn that their father has died of a cerebral hemorrhage and that each family member is bitter at the other for the way the final days were handled. Mom, worried that favorite son Danny may be next, has Kostner take Danny to his sports lab/university/hospital to check him out.

After a few more minutes of painful family pathos and the introduction of Rae Dawn Chong as Kostner's love interest, the focus soon turns to training for the Big Race, and '80 cliches start a-flowin'. To blaring, cheezy synth music, we see Danny overtrain to a horrifying degree at the sports lab to cheering Spandex-clad "athletes," the pair take goofy training rides (inexplicably spinning about a 140 cadence) replete with whooping and hollering, dog chases and Danny improbably pulling a mile-long wheelie while waving that freakin' hat, which he must have Velcroed to his head for the ride. Oh yeah, along the way they also pick up a beautiful hippie chick who, naturally, will soon become Danny's love interest/the film's gratuitous nudity.

The foursome finally get the team van to Colorado for the Big Race and there run into two of the most hilarious '80s stock characters ever: "The Cocky Bad Guy" in Cannibal and, of course, "The Russians." Who is more ridiculous is subjective. Cannibal rattles off some of the best bad one-liners in memory, charges photographers, and spends the most of the rest of his time either screaming or scowling. The lead Russian "cyclist" is a burly, furry giant in a hockey helmet, probably pushing about 290 pounds with 10 more in beard. About the only cliche' missing was a pre-race "wodka" chug and a diatribe against the evils of capitalism.

Mercifully, the film turns 180 degrees with the start of the race. For the next half-hour or so, we are treated to some of the most beautiful cycling footage ever. The remarkably well-done scenes of the racers duking it out in the red rocks of the mountains are simply exhilarating. It truly captures the essence of racing, the speed, the sprints, the pain, the fear, the flow--it kicks butt. The rest of the film, while as predictable as the sunrise, is still great fun.

Certainly, this film is not for everyone, and many will find it a truly painful experience. For me, though, the mix of hilarious '80s camp and incredible race footage make it a favorite.


GREAT movie   January 1, 2004
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

This movie will inspire those who have competed with and against their brother. The fights and the competition between the brothers brings back good memories of how competitive my brother and I were. The dedication and effort put forth by the competitors also brings back memories of a better time and place. The scenery great -- how can Colorado not have great scenery ?

Don't look for this movie to have great meaning or fantastic acting - look for it to be just what it was meant to be, an inspirational movie.