June 25, 2024 – Inspired by the movie “The Wild One” (1953) Johnny (played by Tom Hardy of “Venom”) decides to form a Chicago motorcycle gang, the Vandals. It grows from a small group to a large organization, with chapters all over the country. It gradually spirals out of control and tragic developments ensue.

This movie is based on the 1968 book of the same name, written by Danny Lyon. In the movie, Lyon, played by Mike Faist of “Challengers,” is shown taping an interview with Kathy (Jodi Comer of “Free Guy”) about the Vandals. Kathy is the wife of Vandal member Benny (Austin Butler of “Elvis”). Both of them are very close friends of Johnny.

Lyon photographed members of the Vandals and interviewed them before moving away. The interview with Kathy takes place years later, after there have been many changes in the Vandals organization. Lyons wants to know what happened to Johnny, Benny and all the Vandals he used to know. He finds out this is a sad story.

Although the time line of the movie is such that it hops around from one year to another, the plot is well organized. It is pretty clear how events relate to each other, and how the story develops. The story is told from the perspective of Kathy, which is fortunate, because she is a lot more articulate than Johnny, Benny, or most of the gang members.

The inarticulate Benny, Johnny, and some other characters, who have little dialog anyway, and are given to pregnant pauses, is almost a parody of this kind of strong manly silent character. Kathy, however, doesn't mind talking, speaking her mind, and does a pretty good job of explaining the rise and fall of Johnny's control of the Vandals.

Johnny and Benny are close friends and they respect each other. Johnny wants Benny to take over leadership of the Vandals. Johnny, being an older man, does not relate to the younger members the way that Benny does, especially those returning from combat in Vietnam. Society is changing, leaving Johnny behind.

Benny, however, has no interest in being the leader of the gang. He doesn't want to be a leader, or a follower, either, but he is loyal to the gang, and is quite willing to jump into a fight when a member of the Vandals is threatened by a member of a rival gang. The movie focuses on a particular fight between Benny and two members of a rival gang. Benny is badly beaten, and Johnny decides to retaliate.

In a demonstration of power, Johnny orders his gang to destroy a building and to badly injure the people he holds responsible for the attack on Benny. As the gang watches the building burn, firefighters and policemen stand by, afraid to move in. Kathy notes that it is dangerous for a man to have such power.

Kathy notes the irony of a bunch of loners who rebel against the rules of society, only to make up their own rules that they are then forced to live by. Johnny is the enforcer of the rules. He is an old school guy who seems to view himself as a king and his gang members are like knights. He is willing to break the law now and then, but he is not running a criminal organization.

Eventually, new leadership takes over the Vandals, and not the kind of leadership that Johnny approves of. One by one, the older members of the gang die by accident or violence, or they just decide to turn in their colors and leave. Younger members join the gang, and they are increasingly out of control. Johnny, at the center of it all, cannot hold it together, and Benny is emotionally crushed by this.

This movie is a throwback to movies like “The Wild One,” “The Misfits” (1961) and “Lonely Are the Brave” (1962). These movies are about the passing of a way of life, and those few trying to stubbornly hang on to the old ways. It is also a love story about three people caught in a kind of romantic triangle that only death can untangle.

The cinematography, by Adam Stone (“Camp X-Ray” and “Midnight Special”) along with the sets, clothing and motorcycles evoke a strong sense of time and place. The direction, by Jeff Nichols, is very strong, and the acting is very effective at developing a strong cast of characters, including Zipco, an emotionally wounded member of the Vandals (played by Michael Shannon, who has appeared in other films directed by Nichols, including “Midnight Special” and “Mud”). This film rates a B.

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