Devil Rider! (1970)
5/10
Could be worse
20 July 2014
Quick note: The girl's FATHER hires the private detective, not the mother. This error has been carried over from the synopsis in Michael J. Weldon's THE PSYCHOTRONIC VIDEO GUIDE.

Basic impressions: It's a Brad Grinter movie. For those who know that name, you know what you are walking into. For those who don't, run far, far away, unless you like groaning at a movie for moving slow, having low-to-no acting and action scenes that make you question the use of the word "action". It is inept, poorly lit, uneven in tone and basically awkward in most respects. The two highlights are the mother's overacting that makes you wonder if she is on the verge of hysterical laughter or if she found out just how little money she was getting for her one scene, and the father is played by the director/writer himself in a performance that makes soggy white bread seem perky in comparison.

Story: Pointless twaddle about a girl who is looking for kicks taking a ride from some local biker gang because she's bored. A bad movie ensues.

Questions: If everyone seems to be aware of this local biker gang, their members, AND the location of their camp, how is it that no one seems to have a clue about what the bikers do? Why would they stick a fairly competent back story for a fairly minor character in the middle of this mess when it would have made a better movie than this wreck? Why have the only reasonably smart character in the film pull one of dumbest moves, in the most ghastly disguise no less? (Yes, I know it was to move the plot, but, jeez, they could have done it a dozen other ways.)

Final comments: I have a soft spot for Brad Grinter films. No, it isn't the patch of quicksand referenced in film. There's just some element about his movies that compels me to stick around, just to see what weirdness he will throw in next. This is not as much fun as his BLOOD FREAK, but it still works well enough. Credit is due to him for making the biker gang act more like you would expect a gang to act during the final confrontation. Seriously, folks, do NOT go into this film expecting ANYTHING. Even then, you might still be disappointed.
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