This weekend marks the arrival of Jeff Nichols’s latest film, The Bikeriders. The film follows the Vandals MC, a Chicago motorcycle club led by Johnny (Tom Hardy). Benny (Austin Butler), the newest member of the club, meets and romances the determined Kathy (Jodie Comer) at a local bar. The Bikeriders depicts the group’s evolution from a loyal, respectable club to a criminal organization.
The Bikeriders opened in theaters on June 21. If you still want more movies about gritty outlaws hitting the open road, then watch these three movies. Our picks include a seminal movie of the 1960s, the first film in an iconic action franchise, and one of Nichols’s earliest projects as a director.
Easy Rider (1969)
The quintessential biker movie is Easy Rider. After scoring some money after a drug deal, Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Dennis Hopper) gas up their Harleys and embark on a journey from California to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. The two free-spirited rebels cross paths with people of all backgrounds on their trip, from a graceful farmer and free-loving hippie to cocky rednecks and headstrong police officers.
The most noteworthy person they encounter is George Hanson (Jack Nicholson), an alcoholic lawyer who gets the duo out of jail. The eye-opening journey shows Wyatt and Billy that not everyone shares their idealistic beliefs. Easy Rider is a groundbreaking movie that became a shining representation of counterculture at the end of the 1960s.
Buy or rent Easy Rider on Prime Video, YouTube, Google, or Apple.
Mad Max (1979)
If there’s a movie that knows a thing or two about outlaws, it’s Mad Max, George Miller’s dystopian action film from 1979. Mel Gibson stars as Max Rockatansky, one of the last Main Force Patrol (MFP) officers in Australia. Society is on the verge of collapse, with oil becoming the most integral resource for survival. Motorbike gangs and criminals wreak havoc on the locals, but officers like Max try to fight to keep the peace.
After Max kills one of the gang’s members, their sadistic leader, Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne), exacts his revenge by targeting Max’s family. You’re waiting for Max to flip the switch and go “mad,” and once that happens, Max travels down the path of no return. This mythic hero went on to become one of the most iconic characters of the last 40 years and inspired the latest installment in the franchise, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Stream Max Max on Max.
Mud (2012)
If you choose to explore more of Nichols’s filmography, start with Mud, his most successful film to date. Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) are two Arkansas teenagers who one day explore a small island on the Mississippi River. When the boys come across an abandoned boat, they meet Mud (Matthew McConaughey), a fugitive on the run after killing a man. Mud plans to reunite with his girlfriend, Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), and escape on the boat.
Mud enlists the boys to help him gather supplies to fix the boat. They must be careful, as the family of the man he murdered is out for vengeance. It’s a heartfelt coming-of-age film about friendship and redemption. Yet, Mud’s defining legacy lies with McConaughey, whose performance led Christopher Nolan to cast him in Interstellar.
Stream Mud on Tubi.
