Biker Boyz
Encyclopedia
Biker Boyz is a 2003 film about a group of underground motorcycle drag racers
. It stars Laurence Fishburne
, Djimon Hounsou
, Derek Luke
, Meagan Good
, and Larenz Tate
and is written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood
. It also features Lisa Bonet
, Orlando Jones
, Kid Rock
and Vanessa Bell Calloway
.
s, the undefeated racer known as Smoke (Laurence Fishburne
) is the undisputed "King of Cali." But Smoke's dominance of the set is about to be threatened by a young motorcycle racing prodigy called Kid (Derek Luke
), who is determined to win Smoke's helmet and earn the coveted title.
Kid says that the difference between men and boys are the lessons they learn- and that his father, Slick Will, taught him plenty. Kid's mother, Anita, is left a single mother after Kid's father dies at the beginning of the movie. A challenger for Smoke's crown crashes, sending a bike hurtling into Kid's father - Smoke's mechanic, Slick Will. Six months after the funeral of Kid's father, he decides to take up racing on the underground circuit without his mother's knowledge. The movie timeline is a bit unclear here as Kid later tells his mother that he has been racing for six months. As only a couple of weeks appear to have passed from the six month jump it would seem to imply that he started racing almost immediately after Slick Will's funeral.(It later turns up that he had been hustling other bikers in northern cali as we discover in the scene where kid and Stuntman first meet Primo in the diner.)
His first "race" was when he interfered with Stuntman's race with Donny. As he interrupts the race, he pulls off several stunts, notably standing on top of the motorcycle while it is still moving. He wins the race and the crowd seem to like his stunts, much to the dissatisfaction of Smoke. Kid demands to race with Smoke but Smoke says he is too inexperienced and should get experience first. It is later revealed that Kid and Stuntman were hustling
in that race.
Kid then goes to a diner where he meets fellow hustler Stuntman. Fellow biker Primo tells them to create a biker gang, and after a bit of persuasion they agree, calling themselves the "Biker Boyz."
Kid is set to race Motherland to prove he is good enough to race Smoke. However he has showed up late to "make an entrance" after Smoke has beaten Dogg. Kid is arrested when racing Motherland, whereupon his mother forbids him to race again.
Kid is "called out" to race Dogg and he accepts. Having said that, Anita informs Smoke before the race that Kid is actually his son, not Slick Will's. Smoke successfully stops the race by telling Kid it is too dangerous. This however only leads to a fight between the two from which Kid comes off considerably worse than Smoke. Kid is then told Smoke is his father, and leaves home.
Kid decides to turn renegade and after gaining quite a few more followers for his club, announces that "we're gonna win more lids than any crew on the set and we're gonna out hustle every crew off the set" and indicates that from that point on, "Biker Boyz set their own rules." At this point the Biker Boyz get their own hangout and begin hustling several races, but when they go to the wrong part of town and Stuntman successfully hustles the nephew of a respected biker, Stuntman and Primo are ambushed at the next party. Kid comes to the rescue but is quickly over-powered as the leader of the other gang pulls a gun on him.
Smoke and some of the other Black Knights intervene and convince the other biker to stand down. Smoke takes Kid inside and sits down to give him a stern talking-to, but Kid shrugs it off angrily. It is at this point that Smoke agrees to race Kid. However, whoever loses will never race again. But first Kid has to race Dogg. Dogg runs Kidd off the track, wrecking his bike. Later that night Dogg lends him his bike as he wants Smoke to be finally beaten.
Smoke and Kid are racing on a farm with open fields. With the finish line in sight, it is obvious that Smoke will win. However filled with emotions, he decides to slow down and let his son win the race, becoming the new "King of Cali." Kid tells Smoke to hang onto his crown for a while, and that he'll come and get it someday. Kid rides off, repeating his sentiment that the difference between men and boys are the lessons they learn, and that his father taught him plenty.
The real "King Of Cali" made a cameo appearance in the film, in the bikini wash scene.
Slick Will really doesn't blink as the bike hits him, as Soul Train states.
Actual motorcycle clubs were on the set as technical advisors, and performed some of the tricks, stunts, and racing. They include Valiant Riders, Black Sabbath, G-Zer Tribe, Ruff Ryders, Soul Brothers, Total Package, Chosen Few, Rare Breed, Brothers of the Sun, Sisters of the Sun, Deuces, and Black Sabbath New Breed.
The Biker Boyz Jackets were in part inspired by Nexxunlimited Entertainment (as shown in the End credits).
. It peaked at #98 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
.
gives the film a score of 23% based on reviews from 91 critics.
Metacritic
gives the film a score of 36% based on reviews from 27 critics.
Motorcycle drag racing
Motorcycle drag racing involves two participants lining up at a dragstrip with a signaled starting line. Upon the starting signal, the riders accelerate down a quarter mile long, two lane, straight paved track where their elapsed time and terminal speed are recorded. The rider to reach the finish...
. It stars Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
, Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Hounsou
Djimon Diaw Hounsou is a Beninese actor and model. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards.-Early life:Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1964, to lbertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. He emigrated to Lyon in France at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond....
, Derek Luke
Derek Luke
Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
, Meagan Good
Meagan Good
Meagan Monique Good is an American film and television actress and occasional film producer. Beginning her career at the age of four, Good has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows, feature films, and music videos....
, and Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate
Larenz Tate is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, the son of Peggy and Larry Tate. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old...
and is written and directed by Reggie Rock Bythewood
Reggie Rock Bythewood
Reggie Rock Bythewood in The Bronx, New York City, New York, is a film director, writer, actor and producer. His credits include serving as the writer for Spike Lee's Get on the Bus, the writer/director for Biker Boyz starring Derek Luke and Laurence Fishburne, and the writer/director/producer for...
. It also features Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet , also known as Lilakoi Moon, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and originally starring in its spinoff A Different World.-Early life:Bonet was born in San Francisco, California...
, Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones
Orlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999-2002.-Early life:...
, Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
and Vanessa Bell Calloway
Vanessa Bell Calloway
Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress who has appeared in a number of films, including Biker Boyz, Love Don't Cost a Thing, What's Love Got to Do with It, Coming to America, and Cheaper by the Dozen....
.
Plot
In the world of underground motorcycle clubMotorcycle club
A motorcycle club is a group of individuals whose primary interest and activities involve motorcycles.In the U.S. the abbreviation, MC or MCC, can have a special social meaning from the point of view of the outlaw subcultures, and is usually reserved by them for those clubs that are mutually...
s, the undefeated racer known as Smoke (Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
) is the undisputed "King of Cali." But Smoke's dominance of the set is about to be threatened by a young motorcycle racing prodigy called Kid (Derek Luke
Derek Luke
Derek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
), who is determined to win Smoke's helmet and earn the coveted title.
Kid says that the difference between men and boys are the lessons they learn- and that his father, Slick Will, taught him plenty. Kid's mother, Anita, is left a single mother after Kid's father dies at the beginning of the movie. A challenger for Smoke's crown crashes, sending a bike hurtling into Kid's father - Smoke's mechanic, Slick Will. Six months after the funeral of Kid's father, he decides to take up racing on the underground circuit without his mother's knowledge. The movie timeline is a bit unclear here as Kid later tells his mother that he has been racing for six months. As only a couple of weeks appear to have passed from the six month jump it would seem to imply that he started racing almost immediately after Slick Will's funeral.(It later turns up that he had been hustling other bikers in northern cali as we discover in the scene where kid and Stuntman first meet Primo in the diner.)
His first "race" was when he interfered with Stuntman's race with Donny. As he interrupts the race, he pulls off several stunts, notably standing on top of the motorcycle while it is still moving. He wins the race and the crowd seem to like his stunts, much to the dissatisfaction of Smoke. Kid demands to race with Smoke but Smoke says he is too inexperienced and should get experience first. It is later revealed that Kid and Stuntman were hustling
Hustling
Hustling is the deceptive act of disguising one's skill in a sport or game with the intent of luring someone of probably lesser skill into gambling with the hustler, as a form of confidence trick...
in that race.
Kid then goes to a diner where he meets fellow hustler Stuntman. Fellow biker Primo tells them to create a biker gang, and after a bit of persuasion they agree, calling themselves the "Biker Boyz."
Kid is set to race Motherland to prove he is good enough to race Smoke. However he has showed up late to "make an entrance" after Smoke has beaten Dogg. Kid is arrested when racing Motherland, whereupon his mother forbids him to race again.
Kid is "called out" to race Dogg and he accepts. Having said that, Anita informs Smoke before the race that Kid is actually his son, not Slick Will's. Smoke successfully stops the race by telling Kid it is too dangerous. This however only leads to a fight between the two from which Kid comes off considerably worse than Smoke. Kid is then told Smoke is his father, and leaves home.
Kid decides to turn renegade and after gaining quite a few more followers for his club, announces that "we're gonna win more lids than any crew on the set and we're gonna out hustle every crew off the set" and indicates that from that point on, "Biker Boyz set their own rules." At this point the Biker Boyz get their own hangout and begin hustling several races, but when they go to the wrong part of town and Stuntman successfully hustles the nephew of a respected biker, Stuntman and Primo are ambushed at the next party. Kid comes to the rescue but is quickly over-powered as the leader of the other gang pulls a gun on him.
Smoke and some of the other Black Knights intervene and convince the other biker to stand down. Smoke takes Kid inside and sits down to give him a stern talking-to, but Kid shrugs it off angrily. It is at this point that Smoke agrees to race Kid. However, whoever loses will never race again. But first Kid has to race Dogg. Dogg runs Kidd off the track, wrecking his bike. Later that night Dogg lends him his bike as he wants Smoke to be finally beaten.
Smoke and Kid are racing on a farm with open fields. With the finish line in sight, it is obvious that Smoke will win. However filled with emotions, he decides to slow down and let his son win the race, becoming the new "King of Cali." Kid tells Smoke to hang onto his crown for a while, and that he'll come and get it someday. Kid rides off, repeating his sentiment that the difference between men and boys are the lessons they learn, and that his father taught him plenty.
Cast
- Laurence FishburneLaurence FishburneLaurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
as Smoke - Derek LukeDerek LukeDerek Luke is an American actor. He won the Independent Spirit Award for his big-screen debut performance in the 2002 film Antwone Fisher, directed and produced by Denzel Washington.-Early life:...
as Kid - Orlando JonesOrlando JonesOrlando Jones is an American comedian and film and television actor. He is notable for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999-2002.-Early life:...
as Soul Train - Djimon HounsouDjimon HounsouDjimon Diaw Hounsou is a Beninese actor and model. As an actor, Hounsou has been nominated for two Academy Awards.-Early life:Djimon Hounsou was born in Cotonou, Benin, in 1964, to lbertine and Pierre Hounsou, a cook. He emigrated to Lyon in France at the age of thirteen with his brother, Edmond....
as Motherland - Nicholas Sheriff as Kidd Chaos
- Lisa BonetLisa BonetLisa Bonet , also known as Lilakoi Moon, is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable Kendall on the long-running NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, and originally starring in its spinoff A Different World.-Early life:Bonet was born in San Francisco, California...
as Queenie - Brendan FehrBrendan FehrBrendan Jacob Joel Fehr is a Canadian actor. He portrayed Michael Guerin on the WB television series Roswell and Laboratory Tech Dan Cooper in CSI: Miami.-Early life:...
as Stuntman - Larenz TateLarenz TateLarenz Tate is an American film and television actor.-Early life:Tate was born on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, the son of Peggy and Larry Tate. He is the youngest of three siblings whose family moved to California when he was nine years old...
as Wood - Terrence HowardTerrence HowardTerrence Dashon Howard is an American actor. Having his first major role in the 1995 film Mr. Holland's Opus, which subsequently led to a number of roles in films and high visibility among African American audiences. Howard broke into the mainstream with a succession of well-reviewed television...
as Chu Chu - Kid RockKid RockRobert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
as Dogg - Rick GonzalezRick GonzalezRick Gonzalez is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Timo Cruz in the motion picture Coach Carter, and as Ben Gonzalez on the CW supernatural drama television series Reaper.-Early life:...
as Primo - Meagan GoodMeagan GoodMeagan Monique Good is an American film and television actress and occasional film producer. Beginning her career at the age of four, Good has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows, feature films, and music videos....
as Tina - Salli RichardsonSalli RichardsonSalli Elise Richardson-Whitfield is an American television and film actress. She is known for her role on Eureka and her voice acting on Gargoyles.-Early life:...
as Half & Half (as Salli Richardson-Whitfield) - Vanessa Bell CallowayVanessa Bell CallowayVanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress who has appeared in a number of films, including Biker Boyz, Love Don't Cost a Thing, What's Love Got to Do with It, Coming to America, and Cheaper by the Dozen....
as Anita - Dante BascoDante BascoDanté Basco is an American actor, voice actor, poet, and dancer. He is best known for playing Rufio in the 1991 live-action Peter Pan film Hook...
as Philly - Dion BascoDion BascoDion Basco is an American film and television actor of Filipino heritage. His brothers, Dante, Darion and Derek Basco are also actors. He is best known for his roles as Alberto "Al" Ramos on the NBC television sitcom, City Guys and as Flip in the 2003 film, Biker Boyz. Dion played Marco Quito in...
as Flip - Tyson BeckfordTyson BeckfordTyson Craig Beckford is an American male model and actor, best known as a Ralph Lauren model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program Make Me a Supermodel.-Biography:...
as Donny - Eriq La SalleEriq La SalleEriq La Salle is an American actor and director, known for his portrayals of Darryl in the 1988 comedy film Coming to America and Dr. Peter Benton on the NBC drama series ER.-Early life:...
as Slick Will - Wren T. BrownWren T. BrownWren Troy Brown is an American film, theater, and television actor.A fourth generation Angeleno, Mr. Brown is also a fourth generation theatrical. He is in his third decade as an actor, producer, and director.-Biography:...
as Reverend Maxwell
Featured motorcycles
- Purple and Silver 1998 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R: Smoke
- Yellow 2000 Suzuki GSX-R750Suzuki GSX-R750The GSX-R750 is a 750 class sport bike motorcycle from Suzuki's GSX-R series of motorcycles. It was introduced in 1985 and can be considered to be the first of the modern racer-replicas with many race-derived technologies and the looks of a Suzuki Endurance racer at an affordable price.-Air-cooled...
: Kid - Black 2000 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12RKawasaki Ninja ZX-12RThe ZX-12R is a sport bike that was made from 2000 to 2006 by Kawasaki. It was known as a contender to be the fastest production motorcycle, and for its role in bringing to a truce the escalating competition to build a faster motorcycle....
: Dogg - Red and Gold Ducati 996SDucati 996The Ducati 996 is an Italian street motorcycle manufactured by Ducati from 1999 to 2002. It was based upon the earlier 916.-Model history:...
: Primo - Blue 1998 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12RKawasaki Ninja ZX-12RThe ZX-12R is a sport bike that was made from 2000 to 2006 by Kawasaki. It was known as a contender to be the fastest production motorcycle, and for its role in bringing to a truce the escalating competition to build a faster motorcycle....
: Kidd Chaos - Orange 1998 Yamaha R1Yamaha YZF-R1The Yamaha YZF-R1 is an open class sport bike, or superbike, motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha Motor Company since 1998.-1998–1999:Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 after redesigning the Genesis engine to offset the crankshaft, gearbox input, and output shafts. This "compacting" of the engine made the...
: Chu Chu - Silver 2000 Yamaha R1Yamaha YZF-R1The Yamaha YZF-R1 is an open class sport bike, or superbike, motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha Motor Company since 1998.-1998–1999:Yamaha launched the YZF-R1 after redesigning the Genesis engine to offset the crankshaft, gearbox input, and output shafts. This "compacting" of the engine made the...
: Stuntman - Green 1999 Suzuki TL1000RSuzuki TL1000RThe Suzuki TL1000R motorcycle was introduced in 1998 as Suzuki's V-Twin Superbike. Production ended in 2003.- General background :The TL1000R is a full fairing racing-oriented version of Suzuki's popular TL1000S. The TL1000R was launched in 1998, one year after its sibling, the TL1000S...
: Queenie - 1992 Kawasaki KZ1000Kawasaki Kz1000The Kawasaki Kz1000 is a motorcycle manufactured in Japan by Kawasaki released in September 1976 as a 1977 model to replace the KZ900. It has an in-line 4-cylinder engine and a 5-speed transmission, in a 'one down and four up' configuration...
: Soul Train - 2001 Honda CBR1100XXHonda CBR1100XXThe CBR1100XX Super Blackbird is a Honda motorcycle made from 1996 to 2007. The bike was developed to challenge the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-11 as the world's fastest production motorcycle, and Honda succeeded with a top speed of . Two years later the title passed to the Suzuki Hayabusa, which reached...
: Motherland - T-Rex (automobile)T-Rex (automobile)Campagna T-Rex is a two-seat, three-wheeled cyclecar created by Campagna Corporation located in Quebec, Canada. It has a 1.4 L, straight-four engine. Although classified as a motorcycle, the interior can accommodate the driver and passenger seated side-by-side, with adjustable seat backs,...
: T.J.
Development
Laurence Fishburne, Derek Luke, Orlando Jones, Djimon Hounsou and Nicholas Sheriff, Lisa Bonet, Breadan Fehr, Larenz Tate, Terrence Howard, Kid Rock, Rick Gonzalez, Meagan Good are all avid bikers in real life.The real "King Of Cali" made a cameo appearance in the film, in the bikini wash scene.
Slick Will really doesn't blink as the bike hits him, as Soul Train states.
Actual motorcycle clubs were on the set as technical advisors, and performed some of the tricks, stunts, and racing. They include Valiant Riders, Black Sabbath, G-Zer Tribe, Ruff Ryders, Soul Brothers, Total Package, Chosen Few, Rare Breed, Brothers of the Sun, Sisters of the Sun, Deuces, and Black Sabbath New Breed.
The Biker Boyz Jackets were in part inspired by Nexxunlimited Entertainment (as shown in the End credits).
Soundtrack
A soundtrack containing hip hop, rock and R&B music was released on January 23, 2003 by DreamWorks RecordsDreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
. It peaked at #98 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
.
Critical response
Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gives the film a score of 23% based on reviews from 91 critics.
Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gives the film a score of 36% based on reviews from 27 critics.
Box office
The film earned a wordwide total of $23.5 million.External links
- Biker Boyz at the Internet Movie Cars Database
- Soul Brothers