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American Flyers (1985)

Rate: 8
Viewed: 11/04, 5/08, 12/16

AmFl
5/08: After viewing American Flyers for the second time, I'm raising my rating from '3' to '7'.

It's true the film has several corny Mentos-like moments. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for bicycle pictures, and American Flyers ultimately wins me over for these scenes alone, especially during The Hell of the West race with authentic crashes. The Coloradoan cinematography is wonderful, and the sight of the riders going through the roads over the Rocky Mountains is vertiginously jarring.

Kevin Costner sports a rare, sexy moustache and plays his part well. David Grant is delightful and creates some of the most dramatic bicycling scenes ever filmed. John Badham does a nice job of holding back the revelation of Marcus' brain aneurysm until the right moment.

All in all, American Flyers has its share of ups and downs but remains a satisfying, enjoyable bicycling experience.

12/16: They should've made more bicycle pictures back then.

Raising my rating from '7' to '8', I love the story in American Flyers, and the cast is perfect. The Hell of the West race is dramatic to watch, and the tactics used in the stages are technically correct and sound. Kevin Costner, David Grant, Rae Dawn Chong, and Alexandra Paul are fun to watch. Luca Bercovici, who plays Cannibal, looks like Mario Cipollini the great Italian sprinter.

All in all, although it has a lot of Mentos-like moments, American Flyers is the best bicycling picture I've seen.