Wild Hogs
Encyclopedia
Wild Hogs is a 2007 comedy film
directed by Walt Becker
and starring Tim Allen
, John Travolta
, Martin Lawrence
, and William H. Macy
. It was released nationwide in the United States
and Canada
on March 2, 2007, though preview film screening
s were held in select areas on February 24, 2007.
), Woody Stevens (John Travolta
), Bobby Davis (Martin Lawrence
), and Dudley Frank (William H. Macy
) are four middle-aged suburban men in Cincinnati who find themselves frustrated with the pace of daily life and lack of adventure. Doug is a dentist
who cannot seem to relate to his son Billy (Dominic Janes
). Dudley is a computer programmer who is afraid to talk to women. Bobby is a plumber who dreams to one day write a how-to book on the subject of plumbing, but is made to work at The Firm by his wife Karen (Tichina Arnold
). Woody is a rich lawyer
who is married to a supermodel
. When Woody finds out his wife is divorcing him and leaving him bankrupt, he suggests going on a motorcycle
road trip to California
.
Doug says to his family that he can't go because he cannot leave work. This leads his wife to say that he may be right and that the trip may not be right for a man his age. Doug is insulted by the idea of this insinuating that she thinks he is "lame
". He tries to prove he is not by eating what he wants to eat, despite the fact he has high LDL. He goes into what the doctor calls a "catecholamine-induced supra-ventricular tachyarrhythmia" (stress-induced panic attack
). While in the hospital, Doug talks with his wife, who convinces him to go on the trip.
After the first day's ride, the men lose their tent when Dudley accidentally throws gas onto the burning tent (thinking it was water). They are forced to all sleep on an air mattress
that was spared because Bobby was too slow to blow it up and get it in the tent when they made camp.
The next morning the men encounter a gay
highway patrolman (John C. McGinley
) who is jealous of them on their trip and "threatens" to charge them with lewd behavior. The men go on and stop at a lake where they go skinny dipping
, but they are interrupted by a family who stop to swim, but leave in horror when the men are revealed to be naked. They are then joined by the same patrolman, but escape. Stopping for fuel and food at a roadside bar, the men meet the Del Fuego gang, headed by the tough biker Jack (Ray Liotta
) who recognizes the four men as "posers" and takes Dudley's bike. After riding a short distance away, Woody, disgraced by what just transpired, says they should go back and get Dudley's bike. The others refuse, so Woody walks back alone, steals the bike and cuts the fuel lines on the gang's bikes. He quickly drives back to the Wild Hogs, claiming that all he did was threaten to sue the Del Fuegos. The group continues on towards the Pacific
.
The Del Fuegos realize what has happened and try to go after the Wild Hogs, but after their bikes stall, Jack accidentally drops his cigarette
onto the line of fluid from where Woody cut the gas lines of the bikes. This causes a chain reaction that blows up the bar.
Because Woody is hesitant to stop for gas after he saw the bar explode when he looked in his rear-view mirror
, the Wild Hogs end up running out of gas. The four end up in Madrid, New Mexico
where they are mistaken for members of the Del Fuego group when they quickly grab pitchers of beer they haven't ordered and start guzzling them. Recovering from their thirst, they learn the Del Fuegos regularly terrorize the town, but the police force, which has very little training and no guns, can't do anything.
The four men re-evaluate their lives, especially when Doug, Woody, and Bobby do a "bull-slap" which ends up being painful for two of them and Dudley falls for Maggie (Marisa Tomei
), the owner of the local diner.
Eventually, the four men are spotted and the Del Fuegos come to get their revenge
. The two Del Fuegos call Jack and tell him the Wild Hogs are in Madrid ("I like Madrid. The ground's soft enough to bury them in!" says Jack) Bobby, believing that they are safe because of what Woody told them, squirts the two men with ketchup
and mustard
. The two Del Fuego scouts do not fight, because Jack told them not to hurt the Wild Hogs until he arrived. The Wild Hogs are proclaimed heroes.
The next day, the entire team of Del Fuegos shows up in Madrid. Woody reveals what happened at the Del Fuego bar and the truth behind his need to take the trip, upsetting the others. After the Del Fuegos threaten to burn Maggie's diner, Dudley stands up to the gang, but is captured. The others join Dudley, with Doug declaring that they aren't going to run, but are going to fight. They are easily outmatched by the Del Fuegos and are beat up badly, holding up against them to keep them busy. The townspeople arrive and threaten the Del Fuegos, when Damien Blade (Peter Fonda
), Jack's father and the founder of the Del Fuegos, arrives. Blade berates Jack for letting four "posers" hold off an entire biker gang, questioning aloud just which side was the "posers", and telling Jack that the bar was nothing but an insurance scam. Blade tells the gang to leave town, and ride the open road until they remember what riding is really about, mentioning on his way out of town that Jack "takes after his mother".
Doug and Bobby's wives arrive, and the two finally learn to relate to their families. Bobby finally stands up to his wife and tells her that he is tired of her being controlling over him, and she apologizes for it. The Wild Hogs reach the West coast soon after and it ends when they get sidetracked by Dudley nearly wiping out, and crash into a tandem surfboard.
In the end credits, it is revealed that the Wild Hogs had called the team from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to give the Del Fuegos a new bar to call home. While most of the bike gang is ecstatic and grateful for their new home, Jack is shown only crying and not saying anything, most likely out of joy.
Travolta and Macy had previously worked together in the 1998 American drama film, A Civil Action. Liotta and Durand had previously appeared together in the 2006 action thriller Smokin' Aces
. Martin Lawrence and John C. McGinley appeared in the buddy comedy 'Nothing to Lose' in 1997. This film reunites Martin Lawrence and Tichina Arnold who had previously worked together on the television series Martin
.
provided the motorcycles for the making of this film.
Many of the motorcycles utilized by the Del Fuego gang were customized choppers. The motorcycle used by Jack featured the logo for Orange County Choppers
run by Paul Teutul, Sr.
with design work by Paul Teutul, Jr.
. Both Teutuls have cameo appearance
s at the beginning of the film.
Tim Allen
, a noted automotive designer and hobbyist, gave input to the design of his motorcycle. Of the bikes used in the film by the four main characters, his is the most customized model.
The Motorcycle Riders Association's classes on motorcycle safety often point to the opening sequence in the film Wild Hogs for examples of things not to do when riding.
Jill Hennessy
, who portrays Doug's wife, is a motorcycle enthusiast herself.
, with only 14% of 131 reviews being positive, but with 72% of 86633 users liking it.
Ty Burr of The Boston Globe
compared the film's merits to its titular motorcycles, believing it to be "a bumptious weekend ride... the engine could use tuning and the plugs are shot, but it gets you most of the way there." Although writing a negative review, Burr offered praise for the film's final act, believing it "takes a satisfying turn" and that, with the exception of Allen, each of the film's primary cast members "earned his designated chuckle." He also favorably compared the film to RV
, another comedy film focusing on a road trip.
.
The film performed well throughout its entire run, falling just 30.5% in its second weekend and ultimately grossing $168.2 million domestically and $252.8 million worldwide,becoming Travolta's first film since The General's Daughter in 1999 to gross over $100 million domestically.
filed suit against Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group alleging that the film used both the name and distinctive logo of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation without permission.
and Blu-ray on August 14 2007.
before he marries Maggie. However, the film was canceled.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Walt Becker
Walt Becker
-External links:...
and starring Tim Allen
Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
, John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
, Martin Lawrence
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
, and William H. Macy
William H. Macy
William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
. It was released nationwide in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on March 2, 2007, though preview film screening
Film screening
A film screening is the displaying of a motion picture or film, generally referring to a special showing as part of a film's production and release cycle...
s were held in select areas on February 24, 2007.
Plot
Doug Madsen (Tim AllenTim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
), Woody Stevens (John Travolta
John Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
), Bobby Davis (Martin Lawrence
Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
), and Dudley Frank (William H. Macy
William H. Macy
William Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
) are four middle-aged suburban men in Cincinnati who find themselves frustrated with the pace of daily life and lack of adventure. Doug is a dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
who cannot seem to relate to his son Billy (Dominic Janes
Dominic Janes
Dominic Janes is an American actor....
). Dudley is a computer programmer who is afraid to talk to women. Bobby is a plumber who dreams to one day write a how-to book on the subject of plumbing, but is made to work at The Firm by his wife Karen (Tichina Arnold
Tichina Arnold
Tichina Rolanda Arnold is an American actress and singer. She is best known for having portrayed the roles of Pamela James on the FOX sitcom Martin and the family matriarch Rochelle on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris....
). Woody is a rich lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who is married to a supermodel
Supermodel
The term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
. When Woody finds out his wife is divorcing him and leaving him bankrupt, he suggests going on a motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road trip to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Doug says to his family that he can't go because he cannot leave work. This leads his wife to say that he may be right and that the trip may not be right for a man his age. Doug is insulted by the idea of this insinuating that she thinks he is "lame
Lame
Lame may refer to:* Lameness , lameness in horses* LAME, MP3 encoder* "Lame" , song by Unwritten Law* Licensed aircraft maintenance engineer...
". He tries to prove he is not by eating what he wants to eat, despite the fact he has high LDL. He goes into what the doctor calls a "catecholamine-induced supra-ventricular tachyarrhythmia" (stress-induced panic attack
Panic attack
Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
). While in the hospital, Doug talks with his wife, who convinces him to go on the trip.
After the first day's ride, the men lose their tent when Dudley accidentally throws gas onto the burning tent (thinking it was water). They are forced to all sleep on an air mattress
Air mattress
An air mattress is an inflatable mattress/sleeping pad. Due to its buoyancy, it is also often used as a water toy/flotation device, and in UK is termed as a lilo .-For sleeping:...
that was spared because Bobby was too slow to blow it up and get it in the tent when they made camp.
The next morning the men encounter a gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
highway patrolman (John C. McGinley
John C. McGinley
John Christopher McGinley is an American actor, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon and Marv in Stone's Wall Street. He has also written and produced for television and film...
) who is jealous of them on their trip and "threatens" to charge them with lewd behavior. The men go on and stop at a lake where they go skinny dipping
Skinny dipping
Nude swimming, colloquially called skinny dipping, is a term used to describe swimming naked.-Etymology:The term skinny dip, first recorded in English in the 1950s, includes the somewhat archaic word skinny, known since 1573, meaning "having to do with skin", as it exposed the naked...
, but they are interrupted by a family who stop to swim, but leave in horror when the men are revealed to be naked. They are then joined by the same patrolman, but escape. Stopping for fuel and food at a roadside bar, the men meet the Del Fuego gang, headed by the tough biker Jack (Ray Liotta
Ray Liotta
[File:Ray Liotta is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams...
) who recognizes the four men as "posers" and takes Dudley's bike. After riding a short distance away, Woody, disgraced by what just transpired, says they should go back and get Dudley's bike. The others refuse, so Woody walks back alone, steals the bike and cuts the fuel lines on the gang's bikes. He quickly drives back to the Wild Hogs, claiming that all he did was threaten to sue the Del Fuegos. The group continues on towards the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
The Del Fuegos realize what has happened and try to go after the Wild Hogs, but after their bikes stall, Jack accidentally drops his cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
onto the line of fluid from where Woody cut the gas lines of the bikes. This causes a chain reaction that blows up the bar.
Because Woody is hesitant to stop for gas after he saw the bar explode when he looked in his rear-view mirror
Rear-view mirror
A rear-view mirror is a mirror in automobiles and other vehicles, designed to allow the driver to see rearward through the vehicle's backlight ....
, the Wild Hogs end up running out of gas. The four end up in Madrid, New Mexico
Madrid, New Mexico
Madrid is a census-designated place in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, United States. It is part of the Santa Fe, New Mexico Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 149 at the 2000 census. Today Madrid has become an artists community with galleries lining Route 14...
where they are mistaken for members of the Del Fuego group when they quickly grab pitchers of beer they haven't ordered and start guzzling them. Recovering from their thirst, they learn the Del Fuegos regularly terrorize the town, but the police force, which has very little training and no guns, can't do anything.
The four men re-evaluate their lives, especially when Doug, Woody, and Bobby do a "bull-slap" which ends up being painful for two of them and Dudley falls for Maggie (Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
), the owner of the local diner.
Eventually, the four men are spotted and the Del Fuegos come to get their revenge
Revenge
Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...
. The two Del Fuegos call Jack and tell him the Wild Hogs are in Madrid ("I like Madrid. The ground's soft enough to bury them in!" says Jack) Bobby, believing that they are safe because of what Woody told them, squirts the two men with ketchup
Ketchup
Ketchup is a sweet-and-tangy condiment typically made from tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and an assortment of...
and mustard
Mustard (condiment)
Mustard is a condiment made from the seeds of a mustard plant...
. The two Del Fuego scouts do not fight, because Jack told them not to hurt the Wild Hogs until he arrived. The Wild Hogs are proclaimed heroes.
The next day, the entire team of Del Fuegos shows up in Madrid. Woody reveals what happened at the Del Fuego bar and the truth behind his need to take the trip, upsetting the others. After the Del Fuegos threaten to burn Maggie's diner, Dudley stands up to the gang, but is captured. The others join Dudley, with Doug declaring that they aren't going to run, but are going to fight. They are easily outmatched by the Del Fuegos and are beat up badly, holding up against them to keep them busy. The townspeople arrive and threaten the Del Fuegos, when Damien Blade (Peter Fonda
Peter Fonda
Peter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
), Jack's father and the founder of the Del Fuegos, arrives. Blade berates Jack for letting four "posers" hold off an entire biker gang, questioning aloud just which side was the "posers", and telling Jack that the bar was nothing but an insurance scam. Blade tells the gang to leave town, and ride the open road until they remember what riding is really about, mentioning on his way out of town that Jack "takes after his mother".
Doug and Bobby's wives arrive, and the two finally learn to relate to their families. Bobby finally stands up to his wife and tells her that he is tired of her being controlling over him, and she apologizes for it. The Wild Hogs reach the West coast soon after and it ends when they get sidetracked by Dudley nearly wiping out, and crash into a tandem surfboard.
In the end credits, it is revealed that the Wild Hogs had called the team from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to give the Del Fuegos a new bar to call home. While most of the bike gang is ecstatic and grateful for their new home, Jack is shown only crying and not saying anything, most likely out of joy.
Cast
- Tim AllenTim AllenTim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
as Doug Madsen - John TravoltaJohn TravoltaJohn Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
as Woody Stevens - Martin LawrenceMartin LawrenceMartin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and stand up comedian. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor, most notably the films Bad Boys, Blue Streak, and Big Momma's House...
as Bobby Davis - William H. MacyWilliam H. MacyWilliam Hall Macy, Jr. is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though...
as Dudley Frank - Ray LiottaRay Liotta[File:Ray Liotta is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams...
as Jack Blade - Marisa TomeiMarisa TomeiMarisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
as Maggie - Kevin DurandKevin DurandKevin Serge Durand is a Canadian actor known for his roles as Joshua in Dark Angel, Martin Keamy in Lost, Fred J. Dukes in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the Archangel Gabriel in Legion, and Little John in Robin Hood....
as Red - M. C. GaineyM. C. GaineyMichael Connor "Mike" Gainey , better known as M. C. Gainey, is an American film and television actor whose distinctive mustache, 6'2½" height, and threatening look have given him supporting roles as Southern/Southwestern types, thugs, and criminals.Gainey attended the University of Southern...
as Murdock - Jill HennessyJill HennessyJillian Noel "Jill" Hennessy is a Canadian actress and musician known for her television roles on Law & Order and Crossing Jordan.-Early life:...
as Kelly Madsen - Dominic JanesDominic JanesDominic Janes is an American actor....
as Billy Madsen - Tichina ArnoldTichina ArnoldTichina Rolanda Arnold is an American actress and singer. She is best known for having portrayed the roles of Pamela James on the FOX sitcom Martin and the family matriarch Rochelle on the UPN/CW sitcom Everybody Hates Chris....
as Karen Davis - Stephen TobolowskyStephen TobolowskyStephen Harold Tobolowsky is an American actor. He is well known for his role as Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, as well as portraying Commissioner Hugo Jarry in Deadwood for nine episodes and Bob Bishop in Heroes for eleven episodes over the second and third seasons...
as Charley - Jason Sklar as Deputy Earl Dooble
- Randy Sklar as Deputy Buck Dooble
- Drew SidoraDrew SidoraDrew Sidora Jordan , better known by her stage name Drew Sidora, is an American actress and singer known for her recurring role as Chantel in the Disney Channel Original Series That's So Raven, and as Lucy Avila in the 2006 movie Step Up...
as Haley Davis
- Cymfenee as Claire Davis
- Margaret TravoltaMargaret TravoltaMargaret Travolta is an American actress and a sister of actor John Travolta.-Early life:Travolta, one of six children , was born in Englewood, New Jersey, the daughter of Salvatore Travolta, a semi-professional football player turned tire salesman and partner in a tire company, and Helen Cecilia ,...
as Dana - Victor Izay as Mr. Putnam
- Paul Teutul, Sr.Paul Teutul, Sr.Paul John Teutul is the founder of Orange County Choppers, a manufacturer of custom motorcycles and focus of the reality television series American Chopper. Teutul first appeared on the show with his sons Paul Teutul, Jr...
as Himself - Paul Teutul, Jr.Paul Teutul, Jr.Paul Michael "Paulie" Teutul is one of the stars of the American reality television series American Chopper. He co-founded Orange County Choppers with his father, Paul Teutul, Sr. in 1999. Teutul was the chief designer and fabricator of OCC. Prior to this, Teutul was head of the rail shop at...
as Himself - Michael HitchcockMichael HitchcockMichael Hitchcock is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, and television producer.In 2011, Hitchcock became a writer and consulting producer for season 3 of the FOX television series Glee, where he had guest starred in season 1 as rival glee club director Dalton Rumba.As an actor, he has...
as Kent - Drew PinskyDrew PinskyDavid Drew Pinsky , best known as Dr. Drew, is an American board-certified internist, addiction medicine specialist, and radio and television personality. He has hosted the nationally syndicated radio talk show Loveline since the show's inception in 1984. On television, he hosts the talk show Dr...
as Doctor - John C. McGinleyJohn C. McGinleyJohn Christopher McGinley is an American actor, most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon and Marv in Stone's Wall Street. He has also written and produced for television and film...
as Gay Highway Patrolman - Cynthia Frost as Mrs. Putnam
- Stephanie Skewes as Selma
- Kyle GassKyle GassKyle Richard Gass , also known as KG or Kage, is an American rock musician, singer-songwriter and actor. He is a member of the bands Tenacious D and Trainwreck. In Tenacious D , Gass plays lead guitar and sings backup vocals, and also plays the role of Black's comic foil in most of their comedy...
as Kyle - Shane BaumelShane BaumelShane Baumel is an American teen actor. The first movie he appeared in was Daddy Day Care, with the role of Crispin. His latest appearance was in Wild Hogs, starring Tim Allen. He has also appeared on TV a few times, in shows such as Andy Barker, PI and the Emperor's New School, as the voice of...
as Toby - Peter FondaPeter FondaPeter Henry Fonda is an American actor. He is the son of Henry Fonda, brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget and Justin Fonda...
as Damien Blade, Jack's Father - Ty PenningtonTy PenningtonTygert Bruton "Ty" Pennington is an American television host, model, philanthropist and carpenter. He is most notable for being the host of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition which currently airs on ABC in the US and Ty's Great British Adventure, which airs on UKTV home in the UK and TV LAND...
as Himself - Dill Winston as Michael
Travolta and Macy had previously worked together in the 1998 American drama film, A Civil Action. Liotta and Durand had previously appeared together in the 2006 action thriller Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces is a 2006 crime film, written and directed by Joe Carnahan. It stars Jeremy Piven as a Las Vegas magician turned mafia informant and Ryan Reynolds as the FBI agent assigned to protect him...
. Martin Lawrence and John C. McGinley appeared in the buddy comedy 'Nothing to Lose' in 1997. This film reunites Martin Lawrence and Tichina Arnold who had previously worked together on the television series Martin
Martin (TV series)
Martin is an American sitcom produced by HBO Independent Productions that aired for five seasons, from August 27, 1992 to May 1, 1997 on Fox...
.
Motorcycles
Harley-DavidsonHarley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
provided the motorcycles for the making of this film.
- XL1200C Sportster Custom for Dudley.
- FXSTS Springer SoftailSoftailThe term softail refers to motorcycles and bicycles that feature a rear suspension system with springs or shock absorbers to absorb bumps. On Softail motorcycles, the shock absorbers or springs are often hidden underneath out of view to give the appearance of a hard-tail or rigid frame, however...
for Bobby. - Black FatboyHarley-Davidson Super GlideThe Harley-Davidson Super Glide is a motorcycle model made by the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Reputed to be the first factory custom motorcycle, it originated Harley's FX series of motorcycles by mating Sportster components, most notably the front end, with the chassis of their larger big twin...
with a chrome front wheel for Doug. - Screaming Eagle FatboyHarley-Davidson Super GlideThe Harley-Davidson Super Glide is a motorcycle model made by the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. Reputed to be the first factory custom motorcycle, it originated Harley's FX series of motorcycles by mating Sportster components, most notably the front end, with the chassis of their larger big twin...
for Woody.
Many of the motorcycles utilized by the Del Fuego gang were customized choppers. The motorcycle used by Jack featured the logo for Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers
Orange County Choppers is a custom and production motorcycle manufacturer based in Orange County, New York, that was founded by Paul Teutul, Sr., and Paul Teutul, Jr., in 1999. The company was featured on American Chopper, a reality TV show that debuted in September 2002 on the Discovery Channel,...
run by Paul Teutul, Sr.
Paul Teutul, Sr.
Paul John Teutul is the founder of Orange County Choppers, a manufacturer of custom motorcycles and focus of the reality television series American Chopper. Teutul first appeared on the show with his sons Paul Teutul, Jr...
with design work by Paul Teutul, Jr.
Paul Teutul, Jr.
Paul Michael "Paulie" Teutul is one of the stars of the American reality television series American Chopper. He co-founded Orange County Choppers with his father, Paul Teutul, Sr. in 1999. Teutul was the chief designer and fabricator of OCC. Prior to this, Teutul was head of the rail shop at...
. Both Teutuls have cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s at the beginning of the film.
Tim Allen
Tim Allen
Tim Allen is an American comedian, actor, voice-over artist, and entertainer, known for his role in the sitcom Home Improvement...
, a noted automotive designer and hobbyist, gave input to the design of his motorcycle. Of the bikes used in the film by the four main characters, his is the most customized model.
Background notes
Wild Hogs may have been influenced from George Carlin's 1999 comedy show "You're All Diseased" in which he talks about fake bikers which consist of dentists, bureaucrats and software designers.The Motorcycle Riders Association's classes on motorcycle safety often point to the opening sequence in the film Wild Hogs for examples of things not to do when riding.
Jill Hennessy
Jill Hennessy
Jillian Noel "Jill" Hennessy is a Canadian actress and musician known for her television roles on Law & Order and Crossing Jordan.-Early life:...
, who portrays Doug's wife, is a motorcycle enthusiast herself.
Critical response
Wild Hogs opened on March 2, 2007 to mostly negative reviews. The film holds an average rating of 3.8/10 on website 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...
, with only 14% of 131 reviews being positive, but with 72% of 86633 users liking it.
Ty Burr of The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
compared the film's merits to its titular motorcycles, believing it to be "a bumptious weekend ride... the engine could use tuning and the plugs are shot, but it gets you most of the way there." Although writing a negative review, Burr offered praise for the film's final act, believing it "takes a satisfying turn" and that, with the exception of Allen, each of the film's primary cast members "earned his designated chuckle." He also favorably compared the film to RV
RV (film)
RV is a 2006 comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, written by Geoff Rodkey, and starring Robin Williams, Joanna "JoJo" Levesque, Cheryl Hines, Josh Hutcherson, Jeff Daniels, Kristin Chenoweth and Will Arnett. It was released on April 28, 2006 in North America...
, another comedy film focusing on a road trip.
Box office
Despite negative reviews, the film grossed $39.6 million on its opening weekend, ranking #1 in box office sales and nearly tripling the debut of fellow opener ZodiacZodiac (film)
Zodiac is a 2007 American mystery-thriller film directed by David Fincher and based on Robert Graysmith's non-fiction book of the same name. The Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros...
.
The film performed well throughout its entire run, falling just 30.5% in its second weekend and ultimately grossing $168.2 million domestically and $252.8 million worldwide,becoming Travolta's first film since The General's Daughter in 1999 to gross over $100 million domestically.
Lawsuit
In March 2007, the Hells AngelsHells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
filed suit against Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group alleging that the film used both the name and distinctive logo of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation without permission.
DVD release
Wild Hogs was released on standard DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray on August 14 2007.
Canceled sequel
A sequel entitled Wild Hogs 2: Bachelor Ride was planned to be made for release in 2011 reprising the main cast. In it, the boys were to take Dudley on one final ride around EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
before he marries Maggie. However, the film was canceled.