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Review

Doug (Allen) is a safe and dependable dentist. Bobby (Lawrence) is a henpecked, would-be author. Dudley (Macy) is an IT guy and a walking definition of "nerd." Woody (Travolta) is in the midst of a divorce from a supermodel, and bankrupt. The four friends achieve temporary respite from their midlife crises and their nagging dissatisfactions with weekend jaunts on their motorcycles. When one of their contemporaries suddenly dies, they seize on the idea of a road trip, striking out for wild adventure while they still can. They call themselves the Wild Hogs, sew colors on their jackets, and take off... daringly, without GPS. They face predictable and foreseeable problems, mostly of their own making; we meet predictable and foreseeable characters, such as the overly-friendly Highway Patrolman (McGinley), the knowing, heart-of-gold waitress (Tomei), and wives of varying temperament (Hennessy and Arnold).

The Hogs, predictably and foreseeably, run into a real motorcycle gang, the Del Fuegos, whose near-psychotic leader Jack (Liotta) doesn’t take kindly to the suburban posers. When Woody, unbeknownst to his traveling companions, exacts heavy revenge against the Del Fuegos for their rude mistreatment, Jack gathers his forces and sets out to track them down. And crush them. The final showdown takes place at the Madrid (New Mexico) Chile Festival.

Despite the utter predictability and foreseeability of all the major plot points of this movie, it still manages to provide lightweight and enjoyable diversion. It’s patented Hollywood fluff, OK for family viewing, and blatantly escapist fare. Don’t expect much, and you won’t be disappointed.

Note: The real Madrid, New Mexico, will celebrate their first annual Chile Festival Saturday, July 7, 2007. As seen on TV in the movies.

 -- Ann Yarabinee