Tom Hardy may have impressed fans this year with the Paramount+ series MobLand and his Netflix action thriller, Havoc, but last year things weren’t so great for the English actor. Venom: The Last Dance was met with polarizing reviews, and his crime drama with Austin Butler, which should have been a surefire hit, flopped in theaters. Thankfully, The Bikeriders is getting a second chance to find its audience this month, as it’s now landed a new streaming home.
Released on June 21, 2024, The Bikeriders is based on a photo book by Danny Lyon. It traces the epic tale of the fictional Vandals Motorcycle Club as it evolves from a peaceful organization into a hotbed of criminal activity. Made for $40 million, the film failed to make a dent at the box office, and ended up grossing just $36.3 million despite its tremendous cast. Unfortunately, The Bikeriders was the victim of circumstance, as not only did it end up opening when the likes of Inside Out 2 and Bad Boys: Ride or Die were still in cinemas, but it was marketed as a gritty action thriller when it was anything but.
Directed by Jeff Nichols and also starring the likes of Jodie Comer, Norman Reedus, Michael Shannon, and Boyd Holbrook, The Bikeriders is more of a character-driven study in rebellion, brotherhood, and identity. It certainly has its moments of action, but when put side by side with other Hardy flicks like Mad Max: Fury Road or those he’s done with Guy Ritchie, The Bikeriders is tame by comparison. Does that mean it isn’t any good? Perish the thought. Just don’t expect it to be a big screen version of Sons of Anarchy after reading the synopsis:
“After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals, led by the enigmatic Johnny (Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.”
‘The Bikeriders’ Has Been Compared to a Martin Scorsese Gangster Classic
Though it may not have been seen by the masses during its time in theaters, The Bikeriders has been compared to the likes of Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellows by those who hold it in high regard. It has a Certified Fresh rating of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes, while its audience score sits slightly lower at 74%. As critic Leonardo Garcia Tsao put it in his review:
“Nichols has made the equivalent of Goodfellas with the sound of engines and the smell of gasoline, accompanied by a constant stream of good rock and roll.”
The Bikeriders is currently available to stream on Prime Video, but only for a short time. On October 9, 2025, it will make its way to its new streaming home of Peacock. Be sure to add it to your watchlist to check out this weekend, as Hardy undoubtedly gives a memorable performance in this one that you won’t want to miss.
- Release Date
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June 21, 2024
- Runtime
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116 minutes
- Director
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Jeff Nichols
- Producers
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Arnon Milchan, Sarah Green, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones