Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Script review - "Journey of Death" by Alan B McElroy and John Milius

Milius often spoke of his love of bikers and biker movies so it's a surprise he didn't make more - this one is a perfectly decent biker flick, very influenced by The Searchers, about the son of the head of the Hells Angels living in peace, who is roused to anger when a fellow veteran is killed in a dick swinging dispute over $5 unpaid gas, and his woman is abducted.

The script would have been better off following The Searchers more - there's no familial link with the gal (who is one dimensional as most female Milius characters - she's hot, rides a bike, gets raped, and is a little attracted to the baddy who rapes her). Also the head guy Jonah has a son and a business-  he's quite settled in life, I didn't buy that he'd go on this rampage. Sure, honor, I get that but... it just strained for me.

There's Milius touches - flamboyant dialogue, stories of warriors, description of people as Roman Emperors and Vikings, enemies who respect each other. It would have made a decent film - not a classic but enjoyable.

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