Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) User Reviews

Rourke & Johnson at their coolest on-screen personas, an enjoyable ride about manly men & old fashioned camaraderie !!

[DeuceWild_77 · 7/10 · 4 September 2019]

A critical and financial failure when it was released in August, '91, but later a hit on video, "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man" was directed by the Aussie Simon Wincer, 1 year after his venture into westerns with "Quigley Down Under", written by Don Michael Paul (from the B-movies, "Dangerously Close" and "Cyborg") and starred by two of the macho icons from the 80's Era, Mickey Rourke & Don Johnson.

Set in the future of '96, with a large Bank corporation ruling Burbank, California at a same time that a new deadly drug hits the streets, it tells the story of a loner biker which calls himself Harley Davidson (Rourke), who travels to reconnect with his childhood friends, The Marlboro Man (Johnson); Jack Daniels (Big John Studd) & his now wife, Lulu (Vanessa Williams); José Cuervo (Eloy Casados); Jimmy Jiles (Giancarlo Esposito) & "The Old Man" Jiles (Julius Harris), owner of a Diner established 40 yrs ago, where all the boys met, and now in danger of being foreclosure by The Great Trust Bank. Harley convinces the rest of the gang to rob the same Bank to save the Diner, in which Marlboro, reluctantly, agrees, but things will not go as they thought...

Even if the plot sounds simplistic and formulaic, like dozens of buddy action movies seen before, the writing is very good for this kind of 'genre' film, especially the dialogue exchanges between Rourke & Johnson (some cleary improvised by the actors), that reminds a bit of an earlier Rourke's character, The Motorcycle Boy in Coppola's cult film, "Rumble Fish" ('83).

The well cast duo and their genuine chemistry on-screen it's one of the highlights in the movie, this two were made to ride along together. Rumours said that Rourke only accepted this role because he was payed like 1 million, but even if he acts here with his "i don't give a..." attitude, he was cleary having a blast with this tailormade role for his on-screen persona and, with the exception of "White Sands", it was the last time the classic, charming and cool Mickey from his hair to his extravagant clothes hit the screens... after that all went downhill. Don Johnson, makes the perfect transition from the stylished Miami Cop, Sonny Crockett, to a modern day cowboy and his taglines were the best in the movie.

The supporting cast is full of colorful characters from Harley's gang to the bad guys, played by a fresh faced Tom Sizemore and his first in command, Daniel Baldwin, plus appearances from the forever henchmen, Branscombe Richmond & Sven-Ole Thorsen, plus cameos from Robert Ginty ("The Exterminator") and the beautiful Tia Carrere ("True Lies"). Chelsea Field (in the same year she played Bruce Willis' wife in "The Last Boy Scout") plays here Johnson's mistress, Virginia Slim, a female cop fan of bikes...and bikers !!

The movie itself is loaded with good staged action scenes; tons of humour in the interaction between the two protagonists; nice photographed widescreen visuals, including aerial shots, and a great soundtrack, provided by the maestro Basil Poledouris, and featuring the Bon Jovi hit, "Wanted Dead or Alive", also such bands as Copperhead, AC/DC, Roadhouse, The Screaming Jets, Waylon Jennings, The Kentucky Headhunters & L.A. Guns to name a few.

In short, "Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man" is a truly watchable 'buddy flick', a modernization of the classic "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and a joy to watch with a pack of Marlboros and a sixpack.

Don't listen to the critics, i give it a 7.5 !!

Soundtrack!!!

[yusufpiskin · 7/10 · 24 March 2020]

The Wrestler's jacket. Sonny Crockett's hat. A crystal dream. Pool hustling. A barroom brawl. Blowing off some steam. Wise advice from your old man. Learning how to shoot by reading a book. A swan dive into a pool. A cool mute bartender. Gus before Los Pollos Hermanos. Big John Studd is a stud. A former Miss America sings. A badass helicopter. Goons with bulletproof turtleneck jackets. A shootout with a Baldwin brother. Tom Sizemore before the crack. An opening featuring boobs, Mickey on a Harley and Wanted Dead or Alive playing in the background. A fun ride best enjoyed with a smoke.

Great Cheesy Fun

[spawn777 · 7/10 · 25 February 2000]

Good buddy movies don't have to have to seem real. The more far-fetched the better, And not many movies stretch as far as this one. The combined charisma of Rourke and Johnson make up for the questionable story. Tom Sizemore is a great villain, and Daniel Baldwin is not half bad as his cold blooded henchman. The other thing that stands out about this film is the futuristic feel to the movie. It was made in 1986 and the movie was supposed to take place in 1996, so it guesses as to what changes would be. It's another corny, but fun touch. Top that off with a gorgeous cameo from Tia Carrere and you have all the trappings of a great, cheeseball buddy-movie.

This was a typical late 80's early 90's flick..

[NYCfilmFan · 14 October 2000]

This was a typical late 80's early 90's action flick....but its memorable for the title alone...just like all of these action movies THE PLOT IS EXTRA! the dialogue is head and shoulders above anything Stalone or Segal ever said...and the bickering between Johnson and Rourke is genuinely funny.... Above Average Action; Very Good Dialogue (for an action movie)

A crooked bank wants to close their buddy's bar, so these two macho men go to work: If you can't beat 'em rob 'em

[mwilson1976 · 6/10 · 14 August 2019]

In the lawless near future, rebel biker Harley Davidson (Mickey Rourke) and surly cowboy Marlboro (Don Johnson) plot to rob a crooked bank in order to save the bar of a mutual friend, but end up stealing an experimental street drug called "Crystal Dream" instead of the money. Four characters in this action packed biker film are named after different brands and manufacturers; Rourke's character is named after the motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson, Chelsea Field plays a character named after the cigarette brand Virginia Slims, Wrestling legend Big John Studd is Jack Daniel's and Eloy Casados is Jose Cuervo, named after the tequila brand. Johnson's character is based on the Marlboro Man, who appeared in commercials advertising Marlboro cigarettes from 1954 to 1999. Tom Sizemore plays the crooked CEO of the bank, and Daniel Baldwin is his head of security who leads a seemingly indestructible team of trained assassins who wear bulletproof black trench coats. Despite the movie being a critical and financial failure, it has become a cult classic following its release to video and is a fun and cheesy movie to watch.

" I think I killed him using twelve dollars worth of bullets "

[thinker1691 · 6/10 · 2 October 2009]

It's not too far from anyone's life to believe there are friends, . . . and then there are Friends. This film illustrates the ladder. Two men, Harley Davidson and his partner the Marlboro Man, (Mickey Rourke & Don Johnson) reunite after a couple of year absence and discover their old life time mentor, (Julius Harris) is being evicted from a special nightclub. The club and its location has remained in the owner's hands for over thirty years. Therefore, unless, he can raise a couple of million dollars, he must vacate the property. With the help of other nightclub friends, they decide to raise the needed money by robbing the very bank which holds the mortgage. The bank job proves easy, however instead of bank money, the robbers learn they have stolen two million dollars of the latest, specialized but illegal drugs. The bank president assigns a special hit squad, led by 'Alexander' (Daniel Baldwin) to recover the drugs and dispose of the thieves. The film is very fast paced and there is no shortage of action, confrontation and physical violence. For anyone seeking a good old fashion, shoot-em-up gangster film, you are invited to this one.

Never chase buses our woman... cause you'll always left behind

[Gomesd89 · 7/10 · 20 April 2018]

Yes its your tipical action full of cool dudes and cool bikes and boobs and fights and all that stuff we all love from 80/90s action movies.. and yes is dumb. But so what?? when u choose to watch a movie like this i know where u getting in. Its not oscar material, of course not, but its fun. Grab some beers and have fun watching Mickey and Don ridding some awesome Harleys while fighting drug lords.

Butch and Sundance ride again

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 11 April 2017]

Harley Davidson And The Marlboro Man is a film not for the serious and not for the serious minded. This modern version of Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid casts Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson as a pair of devil may care bikers who live by their own rules and cross back and forth between the law and being outlaws. Sometimes they blend the line real close.

Because some tight bankers are trying to foreclose on a favorite bar hangout of their's, just for a lark these two decide to rob the bank that's giving them the grief. Just like in Charley Varrick it turns out to be a syndicate front that not only launders money, but keeps the drugs on premises including a new designer drug that these two walk off with the prototype.

I will say that Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson have the same easy going chemistry that Paul Newman and Robert Redford had. They make a somewhat silly plot easy to digest.

Daniel Baldwin of the thespian Baldwin family also looks like he's feasting on the furniture playing the head bad guy. There's a gimmick involving a pair of old and patchworn boots that Don Johnson wears. In that final showdown with Baldwin those boots actually play a part in the climax.

This one is one to enjoy and not get too cerebral over.

Guilty? Sort of. A pleasure? Indubitably!

[billyweeds · 8/10 · 21 August 2004]

This is my ultimate guilty pleasure. All my critical faculties tell me it's a trashy action flick with no particular value. But critical faculties don't mean a thing when chemistry is as kinetic as that between Rourke and Johnson, who for my money have Newman and Redford beat by a mile in one of the best "buddy" teamings ever. Moreover, the movie is beautifully cast down the line and the pace is always great. Everything from the costuming of the lead characters to the atmosphere in the bar to the performances by Tom Sizemore and Daniel Baldwin are right on target. But mainly it's Johnson and Rourke's connection that makes the movie. They're terrific. I've seen this movie several times and it never loses me for an instant. Yeah!

My review

[NocturnalMistress · 7/10 · 13 December 2015]

I was a little bit skeptical when I purchased this DVD with the reviews I've read. I'm a Mickey Rourke fan, so I decided to take my chances. Needless to say I am not disappointed! I was expecting a film specifically made for male audiences only but it turns out both sexes can appreciate just how great movies used to be in the 80s and early 90s. The frequent one-liners were hilarious and at times though provoking. The action is just right and not over the top and the plot line was even decent. I give it a 7 out of 10. I sometimes wonder if Mickey Rourke looks back upon his sexy looks and regrets all that he's put his face and body through!

Sometimes you can judge a book by it's cover

[ankhharu · 1/10 · 13 May 2008]

Or in this case, a DVD case. I read a few positive reviews on this movie and thought i'd give it a shot. I should have listened to instinct. Better yet, I should have listened to the girl at the checkout counter at the rental store. It's hard to tell who gives the worst performance, Rourke or Johnson. Both are bad. The action scenes are bad, real bad. In fact, I can't find one thing about this film that I liked. Cliché after cliché, bad line after bad line, I thought it would never end. I somehow stuck it out as I have been known to give up on a movie when it's really bad. I should have given up on this one. I wished I had been able to catch this on TV. Maybe I could have saved my 3 bucks. Now i'm out 3 bucks and 2 hours.

It's Better To Be Dead And Cool Than Alive And Uncool!

[gurochuck · 8/10 · 11 July 2011]

Here it is 2011 and I'm STILL lovin' this movie! As a matter of fact up until I looked over my IMDb history, I thought I had already reviewed it but much to my surprise I haven't. I guess that will make this review that much more better as it will be one of the more current ones.

This is one of those "you-either-get-it-or-you-don't" movies made to appeal to the egos and fantasies of the rugged alpha male. You get that sense at the opening credits as Mickey Rourke's intro scene during the opening credits makes you want to go out and ride a chopped up steel horse. It's the ultimate escape, at least for men! It's laced w/ moral fiber in that it's all about being down-and-out and still managing to drum up the where-with-all to help your fellow man. IMHO I think this movie's setbacks are through no fault of any of its creators or participants. Looking at many of the cynical reviews of movie-goers and critics of its time, it was clearly ahead of its own genre. And although many might find the title as well as some of the names of the characters to be cheesy (Virginia Slim, Jack Daniels, etc), I admire that they took the risk to acknowledge the outlaw, anti-hero biker image through images of Americana. I also read somewhere (probably on this site) that Rourke did this movie out of desperation which doesn't help a new viewer go in w/ a favorable attitude. Hopefully Mickey can look back and appreciate this piece of work like much of us do. I've still yet to see Butch & Sundance but now I'm inspired to check out Redford and Newman's piece even if it's just for the similarities that many reviewers have suggested.

I guess it comes down to the fact that this is much like anything else in that it isn't for everybody. Perhaps the audience it was intended for has dwindled substantially (if it's ever really been out there). But if that's so, we can always take comfort in knowing that we have something we can truly appreciate w/o having to be fashionable.

Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson are COOL.

[imseeg · 6/10 · 8 August 2022]

If it werent for these 2 cool actors this movie would at best be a B-movie, but Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson are COOL and they save this movie.

The good: lots of gangsters, lots of machos, lots of shootouts and chases, lots of chicks and motorcycles and barfights.

The bad: this story is quite silly, the shootouts are silly and so are the bad guys. Still I didnt mind it because I just wanted to see shootout after shootout by some cool dudes. And COOL THEY ARE! Yes sir indeed.

Vacuous, empty-headed machismo that makes Michael Bay look good

[I_Ailurophile · 1/10 · 16 December 2023]

The good news is that there are relatively few movies in the world that are tiresome and aggravating from the moment we press "play." The bad news is that this is one of them. I suppose the names of the title characters, and the overcharged, inflated, superficial masculinity associated with those names, should have been a big clue to how astonishingly overcooked and vapid this flick is, but maybe this is an instance where the generosity of spirit and willingness to give films a chance no matter their reputation - qualities borne of watching a vast number and variety of cinema - are unhelpful for the well-meaning viewer. No sooner has 'Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man' begun and it already becomes almost unwatchable, and to continue watching requires a hard-boiled sense of masochistic commitment. Please take the advice of someone who was willing to give this a chance and deeply regrets it: this is rubbish, and you should not waste one minute of your time with it.

The first taste we get of the soundtrack that was assembled for this is a use of Bon Jovi's "Wanted dead or alive,' over the opening credits, that rivals Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida,' as heard in Michael Mann's 'Manhunter,' for the most kitschy use of a popular song in a picture. While that's (probably) the worst example, both the other popular songs to appear, and the score of composer extraordinaire Basil Poledouris (I don't know how you got roped into this but I am so sorry), continue to be employed in an almost farcically pompous, false manner. The dialogue is mostly just atrocious, with the scene writing not far behind - puffed-up, conceited, and trashy, like a boy who's 50 going on 12, who hasn't left a 25-mile radius in his whole adult life, and who thinks Michael Bay is too high-brow, decided he had all the answers of how to make a better feature. I don't know who Don Michael Paul paid off to get his screenplay produced, but I'm stunned by how terrible the results are. Much of Simon Wincer's direction is hardly any better, for given some of the actors appearing here, and what they have achieved elsewhere, I assume the filmmaker can be faulted for how awful some of the acting is, and how desperately ostentatious some scenes are as they present. (That is, "desperately" as in "hoping against hope that someone will think this is cool," and "ostentatious" as in "Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.")

Oh sure, there are some (only some) workable story ideas on hand (even if we can get them elsewhere). Generally speaking the stunts and action sequences come off well. I do appreciate the work put into facets like the art direction, costume design, hair, and makeup, and David Eggby's cinematography, even if the ends to which these contributions were guided are sometimes gauche. Yet to borrow from the byline of the New York Times' review of 'Avengers: Age of Ultron,' four little words that turned out to be the best part of that flick: None of this matters. Women are treated as nothing more than playthings for men to toy with, go slack-jawed over from a distance, get jealous over, and dispose of, but not treat with respect or as actual people; with this firmly in mind, the camera's occasional obsession with women's bodies is nothing more than irritating. We get guns, trucks, bikes, machines, big egos and bigger talk, more guns, sexy women, big action, more bikes, and the eventual triumph of two Perfectly Normal Guys against the amoral vices and criminality of Big City Corporate Power And Criminal Activity. And all this is wholly intentional, because wherever it is one wishes to lay the culpability for this sludge, 'Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man' is a title built for a singular audience. To wit:

This is a title for the person who thinks John Wayne was Capital G God's gift to Capital M Mankind, the supreme embodiment of acting ability and machismo, and that Wayne's machismo was what masculinity is cosmically intended to be. This is a title for the person who thinks Chuck Norris is Jesus Christ's right-hand man, possibly rivaled only by Kevin Sorbo, and that Bruce Lee was too feminine. This is a title for the person who thinks Spike TV was the peak of the television medium, and that in a world where Johnny Cash wasn't country enough, country music was what Mozart should have been composing instead of symphonies. 'Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man' is rotten, simple-minded, Movie Magic pablum that's geared for so-called adult men instead of the preteen children for whom such unsophisticated construction is usually reserved; the type of fare that's meant to appeal to the most base instinctual, emotional needs of that part of the male brain that hasn't changed since the days when Neanderthals walked the Earth; the sort of romp that should by all reason theoretically be either a wry, clever classic or just an outright parody, yet it plainly lacks the intelligence and developed skill and finesse of, say, 'Escape from New York' or 'Die hard,' or the knowing wink of 'Ghosts of Mars.'

There were good ideas here, yes, and some potential. But these were not going to bear meaningful fruit without someone else significantly reworking Paul's questionable screenplay, and not with Wincer in the director's chair. Since that superior product does not exist in the reality we live in, there is staggeringly little value here. One might reasonably say that the picture does improve in some capacities as it goes on; on the other hand, before all is said and done the script even manages to find a way to be a little bit racist, and the climax leans as heavily into the oafish boorishness as could be said of any prior scene, if not more so. Despite all this it remains true that I've seen far worse films, but it's also true that there are fairly few films that have been so actively exasperating. I recognize the hard work and earnest effort that did go into the production from the cast and crew; would that their participation weren't sullied by Paul's writing, and to an only slightly lesser degree by Wincer's direction. I'm sure there are folks who really do like 'Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man,' but depending on just how seriously they take it, I'm not sure I want to know them. As far as I'm concerned this is tawdry, preposterously testosterone-fueled, bloviating hot air that makes '3000 miles to Graceland' seem artistic by comparison. Whatever curiosity or ill-advised impetus has driven you to consider watching this, I urgently advise you to just find something else to spend time with instead, like a nice patch of grass that's growing in the sun.

Bikers With Hearts Of Gold

[Lechuguilla · 25 September 2005]

Two biking buddies team up to help a friend save his L.A. nightclub from an evil banker who wants to replace the beloved bar with an impersonal high-rise. The ensuing plot has the two bikers repeatedly confronting the banker's cold blooded, robotic henchmen, who make quite a fashion statement with their slicked-back hair, their blank faces, and their irritatingly hip, long black coats. The numerous confrontations between the two bikers and the thugs culminate in explosions, fights, and gunfire.

The story is standard Hollywood fluff, aimed at kids, young boys in particular. Except for the unique "airplane graveyard" setting, the plot is mostly a dud. Fortunately, the characterizations of the two leads rescue the film from banality.

Harley (Mickey Rourke) and Marlboro (Don Johnson), swagger, posture, and strut their macho stuff, as you would expect, for two bikers. They swear. They fight. And, of course, they follow the babes. Underneath the public toughness, however, are two nonconformists, and each has his own brand of insecurity. And, they have a conscience. They want to do the right thing. It is this textured characterization of Harley and Marlboro that makes the film worth watching, especially in the first twenty-five minutes, before the action plot interferes.

The is a working man's movie ... with all the gritty realism of urban street life. The film's first half features some good cinematography, sultry music and atmosphere, great production design, and costumes suitable for the most hip biker bar. The best approach to this film is to ignore the silly action plot, and focus instead on Harley and Marlboro, and their unorthodox outlook on life.

Think I left review already, but...

[lkobler-672-870759 · 6/10 · 21 May 2018]

It can't be said enough that this is a fun buddy movie (the best kind of movie) and that Don Johnson is absolutely gorgeous with a beard. He's why I watch it whenever it's on and I have the DVD.

This is a very fun addition to the action genre.

[kevin_robbins · 7/10 · 13 February 2022]

Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991) is a movie I recently watched for the first time in a long time on HBOMAX. The storyline follows two friends whose favorite bar is about to close. They decide the best way to stop this dilemma is to rob an armored truck...but they discover what's on the truck is a lot more valuable and dangerous than money.

This movie is directed by Simon Wincer (The Phantom) and stars Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler), Don Johnson (Miami Vice), Tom Sizemore (Heat), Daniel Baldwin (Grimm), Vanessa Williams (Eraser), Tia Carrere (Wayne's World), Kelly Hu (The Scorpion King) and Branscombe Richmond (Hard to Kill).

This is a very fun addition to the action genre. The soundtrack, cast, settings, attire and circumstances are all fun. Sizemore and Baldwin were great villains. The action scenes are pretty good and I thoroughly enjoyed the motorcycle chase through the mall. The final shootout in the airplane graveyard was cool too. The strippers were also A+ in this.

Overall this was an above average addition to the action genre that is worth a viewing. I would strongly recommend this to fans of the action genre and would score this a 7/10.

Makes you feel good much the way driving a vintage car on a modern highway does

[fredrikgunerius · 6/10 · 19 October 2023]

This is one of the best documents of what was wrong and right with the typical 1980s macho filmmaking. For better or worse, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man boasts a partly attractive, partly abominable hotchpotch of male camaraderie and individual freedom on the one side and misunderstood morals and good/bad simplifications on the other; all reeking appropriately of gasoline, sweat and gunpowder. From within its clumsy script filled with embarrassing dialogue and badly motivated actions, the film grazes interesting themes and discussions which I'm not sure whether to give the filmmakers credit for. Harley and Marlboro are the remnants of bygone American heroes clinging on to their reactionary ethics and worldview in a (slightly) futuristic world of designer drugs, increased profits and less generosity.

Neither Harley and Marlboro or the bad-guys suggested by the film have any connection to the real world. They are stereotypes drawn from movie stereotypes, and because of that and their extreme contrast, the confrontations between them is much more otherworldly than that between James Cameron's futuristic cyborgs in one of 1991's other great successes, Terminator 2. Whereas Cameron predicted a bleak future in which humanity was our only hope, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man predicts a bleak future in which humanity's only hope is the cowboy; a return to old-fashioned American values. Harley and Marlboro are heroes because they represent these values, not because what they do is heroic. As a matter of fact, they mostly run around mimicking William Goldman's rendition of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, wreaking just about as much havoc as the bad guys they're up against - only they do it with romance and patriotism. It's not very relevant or intelligent, but it makes you feel good much the way driving a vintage car on a modern highway does.

The buddy-movie genre hits a new low

[Bud_Sturguess · 1/10 · 21 January 2003]

In a version of "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid" made for the nineties, this buddy-movie finds Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson in some of their most unwatchable work. Harley and Marlboro rob a bank to save the bar in which they love to get drunk, only to find they've accidentally stolen mob dough, and naturally, lots of one-liners and violence result. The attempted character-depth conversations between Harley and the Marlboro Man atop a billboard and elsewhere are boring and cheesy, while the action takes up the rest of the film. However, the film is easily comparable to "Butch and Sundance"...the latter was great, while this is pointless.

A tribute to a dying sort of men

[BummBumm · 10/10 · 8 August 2001]

It's the kind of movie they don't make any more. Packed with testosterone and huge loads of male pride, Harley and Marlboro set out to kick some ass. I really love this movie because it shows like friendship between men works or at least how it is supposed to work. Even though the two main characters haven't met for years, they know where the other one is and when they come together again it's like they never were apart. They also help each other regardless if it will cost their live because in their mind "It's better to be dead and cool, than alive and uncool." (Harley Davidson) Of course this attitude brings them nothing but trouble but those two take it the macho-way and stand to whatever comes up. And for those who only think it's a modern macho western: "Back off!!" Take a closer look and you will see that there is a lot of soul and spirit hidden between the macho talking and behaviour.

"It's a good day for dying. I'll do it slow"

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 14 October 2010]

I probably would have liked this flick a lot better back when it first came out. I was still a pro wrestling fan back then, so seeing Big John Studd would have been a treat. Except for being overweight, he looked better and younger here, well after his wrestling career was over. I had to wonder though what happened to his cauliflowered forehead from all those blading jobs he did back then. So now you fast forward to the late 2000's and Mickey Rourke actually becomes "The Wrestler" and it's like coming full circle.

I was reading the other reviews on this site, and was intrigued by the number of comparisons given Rourke and Don Johnson to Redford and Newman. I had the same thought while watching the film, but not because this was such a great buddy film. The story actually ripped off two "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid" gimmicks - the 'Who are you guys?' line, and the buddy jump off the cliff to escape the posse. As far as their buddy chemistry went, I'm not convinced they were as tight as Butch and Sundance, and certainly not in the same league.

As for action and plot, this one's been done dozens of times, and at best is passable for a couple of hours of light entertainment. I was probably most intrigued by the movie references made by all the memorabilia in the Old Man's bar, especially the poster and statue honoring John Wayne's "Hondo". It seems I just saw a film with another Hondo poster in it not too long ago - "The Man With Bogart's Face". One of the benefits of being an attentive movie fan.

Anyway, I was never a big Don Johnson fan, and as for Rourke, it looked like he was doing Bruce Willis here just a couple of years after Willis got his big movie break with "Die Hard". Suffice it to say that this was no crystal dream, and if I might point to another buddy flick, "Tango and Cash", this one might not quite have been FUBAR, but it was pretty close.

Garbage

[nh1212a · 1/10 · 14 November 2002]

This is one of the worst films I've ever seen, an idiotic plot with two absolutely loathsome actors strutting their lack of talent. I watched it in endless fascination. How could ANYTHING be so bad? Name any important element in a movie --- motivation, credible plot, solid story line --- and this one fails miserably.

They don't make em like this anymore

[NateWatchesCoolMovies · 10/10 · 8 August 2015]

There are some movies that perfectly encapsulate the late 80's, early 90's epitome of trash bag, chromed up, machismo soaked, violently silly over the top theme park ride vibe of the action genre at that time. Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man is a perfect example of that. It's a down and dirty sleazeball flick that is just so fun. Mickey Rourke plays Harley, a biker cowboy on a steel horse who makes his way back to a slightly futuristic LA to reconnect with his old barfly friends, including the rodeo riding Marlboro Man (Don Johnson). Rourke claims he only did this one for the dough, but I call bullshit. He has such a ball with his leathery tan, cocky prick attitude and spiked hair it's impossible he wasn't invested, even in a purely camp form. Don Johnson is slick and deadly as his trigger happy buddy Marlboro. Between quips, fist and gunfights, smoking and boozing, they try to exact revenge on the tyrannical big city banker (Tom Sizemore) who laid waste to their friends inner city bar. Sizemore is no stranger to dangerous, mean spirited roles, and he plays the megalomaniac financier with a razor sharp, homicidal calm that's giddily entertaining. A young Tia Carrere shows up as his sultry assistant, as well as work from Daniel Baldwin, Kelly Hu, Vanessa Angel and Chelsea Field. It's no smart action flick, but it's a brutal, tongue in cheek modern western with dusty, broken glass and whiskey soaked style that will entertain anyone who has nostalgia for that era of action movies.

An Homage to the American Rebel Hero

[Cimmerian_Dragon · 7/10 · 13 December 2006]

I loved this flick ever since I saw it 10+ years ago.

Now, I don't like "trashy" movies of any kind. You know the type, cheapo, uninspired, poorly written formula pics they air on TBS or USA network at 2AM, and that is the group that I always hear people lumping HDatMM into. They couldn't possibly be further off-base.

This movie is an homage to every great western and action flick ever made. Its like a love letter to a certain breed of American cinema. It does for the drifter-hero genre what Jackie Brown did for Blaxploitation movies. If you're not keen on those kinds of movies, then this one will not be to your taste. However, taken in the way the filmmakers intended, this is a darn good picture. It's reasonably well made, has a great cast of actors who all perform admirably, and features clever dialog that surpasses Tarantino's at times.

Compared to flicks like "The Wild Bunch" or "Gone With the Wind" Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man might come up a little short. But hold it up to something like the Lethal Weapon series, and I can't see how so many people could call it a lump of crap. Don't pass judgment without seeing it yourself.

7 out of 10

A gross insult to motorcycles and cigarettes

[helpless_dancer · 1/10 · 23 September 1999]

Not one line of dialogue, not one frame of film, nothing about this piece of crap was entertaining. Don Johnson should be ashamed, Mickey Rourke probably said, "another lousy acting performance, nothing new for me." The action scenes were pitifully set up looking; a 5 year old couldn't get excited over this boring humdrum silliness. After emptying a trash can full of banana magazines at the 2 "heroes", one would think professional hitmen could put at least one round where they wanted it. Absolute trash - 0 out of 10.