The World’s Fastest Indian

The World’s Fastest Indian (2005) – [rate 2]

As tear-jerking feel-good movies go, this one could be worse. Anthony Hopkins plays an amiable old mechanic from New Zealand who has little else left in his life than his Indian motorcycle (or ‘motorcicle’ as he keeps referring to it). He’s been tweaking it for speed for as long as anyone can remember and his ultimate dream is to set landspeed records with it on the saltlake flats of Bonneville.

So, of course, he sets out on a roadtrip across the world, running into all sorts of colorful characters that somehow contribute to his quest and offer an opportunity to highlight the dear character of Burt Munro. And of course, he makes it and runs his bike and sets the speed record. If you hate me for spoiling it now, it may help to know that Burt Munro was actually a real person and all I did was just give you a history lesson.

I can’t fault a semi-documentary movie for lack of originality. I would have preferred a slightly (sarcasm) less larmoyant approach though. But as a christmas holiday season movie, it’s just fine. Recommended viewing for families with grandpa and grandma and the children’s children sitting around the idiot box for lack of a fireplace.

Published by

Jaap van der Velde

I live and breathe software, love games and spent many a vacation touring Europe on my motorcycle. Currently diving, riding, hopefully flying and gaining perspective around Oz.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *