After his gang The Slavers is ripped off in a drug deal, Johnny (Erik Estrada) tries to make things right but ends up shooting a drug dealer who is also a dirty cop. He leaves L.A. to hideout and stops to see old pal Hammer (William Smith), who is now running a tiny garage in a small California town. Johnny stays on to help as a mechanic and gets his hands full with a recently divorced mother. Before you can yell, "Come back, Shane!" they are hooking up and living together. Of course, trouble is still looking for Johnny in the form of the dirty cop's partner and his old biker gang. I've been trying to fill in my PM Entertainment gaps and it might be rough riding if they are all like this. THE LAST RIDERS never really finds its footing and spends way too much time on the relationship building and not enough on folks getting blow'd up. It is a good looking film though with some nice locations. And Estrada and Smith certainly aren't just collecting a paycheck, which is nice. The highlight is probably Mimi Lesseos beating up some bikers while in a bikini in the film's opening (is this how all drug deals go down?).
7 Reviews
Last for a reason
DEPRESSEDcherry2 March 2021
This is a great example of how to get the pacing and story of a movie completely wrong. It takes an hour to set up a very simple premise and then we get about 25 minutes of pay off. The bulk of which is done via a montage during a pointless live music scene, from a band who have nothing to do with anything in the movie, and they're used twice to pad out the running time. It actually feels like three movies mashed together. We start with a biker gang doing a drug deal gone wrong, then it morphs into a romance, with the gang member now shopping for groceries. Before finally, we get a rushed revenge of sorts at the end.
The story we get is rushed and clumsy, lacking focus and direction. There is so much that needs to be fixed here, you'd end up with a completely different movie if you tried.
The Last Riders is a disappointment.
tarbosh2200024 January 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Johnny Wilson (Estrada) is a member of the Slavers biker gang, but after a botched escapade involving money and drugs, some people die, including a cop. After this, Johnny decides he's had enough, and departs the Slavers for good. Or so he thinks. He ends up in a dusty ol' Nevada town, working as a mechanic with his old friend Hammer (Smith). He soon meets a woman, Anna (Middleton) and her young daughter, Sammi (Mindy Martin), and he begins to rebuild his life. But his past soon comes back to haunt him, as the Slavers feel he betrayed them, and they're out for his blood. And law enforcement feel similarly, blaming Johnny for the death of the law enforcement officer. Now, as both sides of the law are gunning for him, Johnny must make his final stand. Will he truly be one of the...LAST RIDERS? We felt that The Last Riders was a rare misstep for the normally-solid PM. It has a weirdly disjointed feel, with a lot of airy, empty space when there should be more forward drive. It essentially becomes a romantic drama at one point, which wouldn't be so bad, but the filmmakers somehow managed to screw up what should have been a slam-dunk ending. We won't give away any spoilers, we'll just say it's edited and paced...unusually, and where there should have been full-throttle revenge, it lacks a powerful momentum. In our world, botching what should have been an appropriate revenge is an inexcusable mistake. As much as it saddens us, we can't give The Last Riders a very high rating. We love Merhi, Randall and PM, and we love Smith, Lesseos and Estrada, but something went awry here. It's unfortunate.
The movie is truly Mimi Lesseos at her best. She has a great look, and as a female wrestler (which she also portrayed in the same year's Pushed To The Limit) she gets to show off some of her moves both in and out of the ring. She's only in the first part of the movie, unfortunately, and after she departs, the movie suffers immensely. The whole "romance" sub-plot is pretty typical: Middleton plays your classic "annoying woman" who doesn't get along with Estrada, and they butt heads over disputes like food, but, after a whirlwind courtship, they end up marrying after only knowing each other a few days (?). But Sammi, the young tot of a daughter, basically steals the movie. She's a realistic-looking child, not an overly-cute "movie kid". She has a Bart Simpson shirt, pajamas that say "KID" on them, and other classic early-90's clothing. Her facial expressions and line deliveries are priceless. It's casting decisions like this (and Lesseos) that make you think...Okay, this movie isn't bad, but it's not great, either. But the lame ending puts a deciding nail into this coffin of a movie.
While there is the time-honored barfight, the movie could have used some more action in the middle instead of romance. Or just more of a threat from the Slavers. Slowing the pace even more are two live performances from an all-female band called The Sheilas (which seems to be misspelled in the end credits). Their songs are catchy and professional-sounding, but why are we spending so much time with them? They add nothing to the plot and we don't know them personally. Adding to the confusion, Hammer's wife in the movie is named Sheila (Madden), but she's NOT in the band, but they keyboard player looks exactly like Mimi Lesseos, who's not in the band either. Of the non-Sheilas music, the opening song is very Cameo-like, and William Smith's voice, which sounds like he gargles with razor blades, is like sweet music to our ears, anyway.
As a biker, perhaps it was thought that Estrada could make an easy job transition from CHiPS to SLAVERS. But regardless, The Last Riders is a disappointment.
The movie is truly Mimi Lesseos at her best. She has a great look, and as a female wrestler (which she also portrayed in the same year's Pushed To The Limit) she gets to show off some of her moves both in and out of the ring. She's only in the first part of the movie, unfortunately, and after she departs, the movie suffers immensely. The whole "romance" sub-plot is pretty typical: Middleton plays your classic "annoying woman" who doesn't get along with Estrada, and they butt heads over disputes like food, but, after a whirlwind courtship, they end up marrying after only knowing each other a few days (?). But Sammi, the young tot of a daughter, basically steals the movie. She's a realistic-looking child, not an overly-cute "movie kid". She has a Bart Simpson shirt, pajamas that say "KID" on them, and other classic early-90's clothing. Her facial expressions and line deliveries are priceless. It's casting decisions like this (and Lesseos) that make you think...Okay, this movie isn't bad, but it's not great, either. But the lame ending puts a deciding nail into this coffin of a movie.
While there is the time-honored barfight, the movie could have used some more action in the middle instead of romance. Or just more of a threat from the Slavers. Slowing the pace even more are two live performances from an all-female band called The Sheilas (which seems to be misspelled in the end credits). Their songs are catchy and professional-sounding, but why are we spending so much time with them? They add nothing to the plot and we don't know them personally. Adding to the confusion, Hammer's wife in the movie is named Sheila (Madden), but she's NOT in the band, but they keyboard player looks exactly like Mimi Lesseos, who's not in the band either. Of the non-Sheilas music, the opening song is very Cameo-like, and William Smith's voice, which sounds like he gargles with razor blades, is like sweet music to our ears, anyway.
As a biker, perhaps it was thought that Estrada could make an easy job transition from CHiPS to SLAVERS. But regardless, The Last Riders is a disappointment.
Biker-themed thriller
Leofwine_draca27 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
THE LAST RIDERS is a biker-themed thriller from PM Entertainment, the production company responsible for releasing hordes of low rent action flicks to the masses in the late '80s and throughout the 1990s. This one stars former C.H.I.P.S. star Erik Estrada as the hero of the piece, a former biker now trying to make a living by working in a garage. Biker favourite William Smith plays his buddy, but Estrada's life is about to take an unexpected turn when he's betrayed by corrupt cops and his old biker friends come calling.
Sadly, this is a thriller distinctly lacking in thrills, focusing instead on boring personal relationships and the like. Estrada and Smith are okay, but the rest of the cast are unexceptional - with the exception of female wrestler Mimi Lesseos, who makes a real impact in her early moments. The rest is a mish mash of stock action elements and family drama, but it never gels in quite the way it should.
Sadly, this is a thriller distinctly lacking in thrills, focusing instead on boring personal relationships and the like. Estrada and Smith are okay, but the rest of the cast are unexceptional - with the exception of female wrestler Mimi Lesseos, who makes a real impact in her early moments. The rest is a mish mash of stock action elements and family drama, but it never gels in quite the way it should.
Unusual throwback biker movie
lor_30 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
My review was written in November 1991 after watching the movie on a PM video cassette.
An ambitious biker film, "The Last Riders" makes several interesting switches on this 1960s genre. It's an above-average direct-to-video feature.
Erik Estrada stars as a gang member who has to go into hiding after killing a corrupt cop. He gets further in trouble when evil cop Armando Sylvestre convinces gang leader Angelo Tiffe that Estrada is a stoolie.
Film is unusually structured and notable for its odd combination of violent action and sentimentality. Action is punctuated by songs from the female rock band The Sheilas that comment on the story line. Central section shifts into a different genre, as Estrada on the lam sets up a makeshift home life as Good Samaritan to Kathrin Lautner and her young daughter who are stranded on the road.
Acting is generally good, and pro wrestler Mimi Lesseos ("The Magnificent Mimi") is very sexy as a drug go-between who gets wasted in the opening reels. Final scenes are something of a letdown as director Joseph Merh ties up loose ens too rapidly and patly.
An ambitious biker film, "The Last Riders" makes several interesting switches on this 1960s genre. It's an above-average direct-to-video feature.
Erik Estrada stars as a gang member who has to go into hiding after killing a corrupt cop. He gets further in trouble when evil cop Armando Sylvestre convinces gang leader Angelo Tiffe that Estrada is a stoolie.
Film is unusually structured and notable for its odd combination of violent action and sentimentality. Action is punctuated by songs from the female rock band The Sheilas that comment on the story line. Central section shifts into a different genre, as Estrada on the lam sets up a makeshift home life as Good Samaritan to Kathrin Lautner and her young daughter who are stranded on the road.
Acting is generally good, and pro wrestler Mimi Lesseos ("The Magnificent Mimi") is very sexy as a drug go-between who gets wasted in the opening reels. Final scenes are something of a letdown as director Joseph Merh ties up loose ens too rapidly and patly.
Has moments
BandSAboutMovies11 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
When his family is murdered, Johnny (Erik Estrada) gets revenge on the ones who did it - his former biker gang The Slaves and the corrupt cops who lied and claimed Johnny sold out the gang.
So why would I watch this?
Mimi Lesseos.
As Feather, she starts this movie wearing a yellow bikini and strutting down Venice Beach with a boom box to deliver drugs from the aforementioned dirty cops to the biker gang inside a psychic bookstore, who all try and assault her because this is a biker exploitation movie, which goes one further by having her start throwing dropkicks in a street fight and taking the drugs and the cash before saying, "You guys wanted to get fucked? Well, you just did."
Well, the Slavers need to make this right, so they break into the cop's house and kill everyone - including Feather, so boo, I'm out of this now - and Johnny decides he needs to leave town until the heat dies down, working in the garage of his friend Hammer (William Smith!) and falling for Anna (Kathrin Lautner), who is taking her daughter Samantha across the country to also start a new life.
Everything is as nice as marrying an ex-con biker on the run in Las Vegas can be until the cops - led by Davis (Armando Silvestre, who was in a ton of awesome Mexican films) come back and shoot up their trailer home, killing both Anna and Samantha, so Johnny and Hammer set the whole thing - loved ones inside - on fire and watch it burn.
Johnny then kills every single Slaver and when we get to the final confrontation with their leader Rico (Angelo Tiffe) and once that guy finds out Johnny is innocent, all is forgiven. Really? What?!?
It ends with this dialogue:
Johnny: Here are my colors, Rico. Burn 'em. And piss on the ashes.
Rico: Stay in the wind, Johnny. In the wind.
I really need to dig deep into the films of PM Entertainment because this movie is wild.
There's also a long scene where Mimi pro wrestles a dude in the backyard that feels very much like apartment wrestling in Sports Review Wrestling or The Wrestler. There's also a Greek chorus provided by a Vixen-esque girl group called The Sheilas who comment on the action throughout, including a montage where Estrada throws cops off roofs and sets wrongdoers ablaze, accompanied by flute solos. And the guy Larkin in this movie is played by Gary Groomes, who was pretty much blacklisted from Hollywood after playing Dan Aykroyd in Wired.
Syria-born director Joseph Merhi owned a chain of pizzerias in Las Vegas before directing video store junk - in the best of ways - like L. A. Crackdown, L. A. Heat, L. A. Vice, L. A. Crackdown 2, L. A. Heat the TV series and Midnight Warrior. He co-wrote the script with Ray Garmond and Addison Randall, who wrote some movies I'll definitely be tracking down like Shotgun, East L. A. Warriors, L. A. Wars and Da Vinci's War.
Man, L. A. was on fire in the 80s and 90s.
So why would I watch this?
Mimi Lesseos.
As Feather, she starts this movie wearing a yellow bikini and strutting down Venice Beach with a boom box to deliver drugs from the aforementioned dirty cops to the biker gang inside a psychic bookstore, who all try and assault her because this is a biker exploitation movie, which goes one further by having her start throwing dropkicks in a street fight and taking the drugs and the cash before saying, "You guys wanted to get fucked? Well, you just did."
Well, the Slavers need to make this right, so they break into the cop's house and kill everyone - including Feather, so boo, I'm out of this now - and Johnny decides he needs to leave town until the heat dies down, working in the garage of his friend Hammer (William Smith!) and falling for Anna (Kathrin Lautner), who is taking her daughter Samantha across the country to also start a new life.
Everything is as nice as marrying an ex-con biker on the run in Las Vegas can be until the cops - led by Davis (Armando Silvestre, who was in a ton of awesome Mexican films) come back and shoot up their trailer home, killing both Anna and Samantha, so Johnny and Hammer set the whole thing - loved ones inside - on fire and watch it burn.
Johnny then kills every single Slaver and when we get to the final confrontation with their leader Rico (Angelo Tiffe) and once that guy finds out Johnny is innocent, all is forgiven. Really? What?!?
It ends with this dialogue:
Johnny: Here are my colors, Rico. Burn 'em. And piss on the ashes.
Rico: Stay in the wind, Johnny. In the wind.
I really need to dig deep into the films of PM Entertainment because this movie is wild.
There's also a long scene where Mimi pro wrestles a dude in the backyard that feels very much like apartment wrestling in Sports Review Wrestling or The Wrestler. There's also a Greek chorus provided by a Vixen-esque girl group called The Sheilas who comment on the action throughout, including a montage where Estrada throws cops off roofs and sets wrongdoers ablaze, accompanied by flute solos. And the guy Larkin in this movie is played by Gary Groomes, who was pretty much blacklisted from Hollywood after playing Dan Aykroyd in Wired.
Syria-born director Joseph Merhi owned a chain of pizzerias in Las Vegas before directing video store junk - in the best of ways - like L. A. Crackdown, L. A. Heat, L. A. Vice, L. A. Crackdown 2, L. A. Heat the TV series and Midnight Warrior. He co-wrote the script with Ray Garmond and Addison Randall, who wrote some movies I'll definitely be tracking down like Shotgun, East L. A. Warriors, L. A. Wars and Da Vinci's War.
Man, L. A. was on fire in the 80s and 90s.
Mild
Uriah431 March 2014
When a drug deal involving a motorcycle gang known as "The Slavers" goes bad and money is taken from them one of the gang leaders known as "Johnny" (Erik Estrada) is sent to get it back. In the process he kills a corrupt undercover cop who was involved in the drug trade. Knowing that the police will be after him and not wanting to tie his gang with the murder Johnny takes off and tries to start a new life as a mechanic for an old friend named "Hammer" (William Smith). Unfortunately, his prints were found at the scene and the equally corrupt DEA agent in charge decides to enact revenge in his own way by convincing the leader of the Slavers that Johnny had snitched on them. This sets off a chain of events which results in tragedy to everybody involved. Anyway, rather than detailing the rest of the story and risk spoiling the film for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a decent action movie for the most part. Although there is a short sex scene and some violence along the way there really wasn't that much for most people to be concerned about. As a matter of fact, in all likelihood most of this movie could have probably been shown on television with little or no editing. That's how mild it was. But that's just my opinion. In any case, I enjoyed the movie and I rate it as slightly above average.
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