Born to be Wild - Saumäßig unterwegs

Time and again there are voices that claim that there is no such thing as the male midlife crisis, that it is a myth that cannot be scientifically or psychologically proven. But it cannot be denied that many men in their prime exhibit strange behaviors in order to cling convulsively to their past youth. The fact that this can sometimes be very amusing for outside observers is proven by the fact that the male midlife crisis provides good material for comedies. One just like it is now coming to our cinemas. In "Born to be Wild" four friends, who all seem to be stuck in their lives, set out to finally get some momentum back into their boring existence. And so Doug (Tim Allen), Woody (John Travolta), Bobby (Martin Lawrence) and Dudley (William H. Macy) get on their motorcycles and go on a road trip that has some surprises in store for the gentlemen. Age and routine have clearly left their mark, making the hoped-for return of youthful ease all but impossible. Just as the "Wild Hogs", as the friends call themselves, are developing genuine enjoyment for their trip despite all odds, they have a messy run-in with the "Del Fuegos", a real tough motorcycle gang. Their leader Jack (Ray Liotta) wants to spoil the men's fun on their trip. But not with the "Wild Hogs": Without further ado, Woody torches the gang's bar, putting not only their vacation at risk, but also his life and that of his friends. Because for the "Del Fuegos" there is now only one goal: Death to the "Wild Hogs"! In the U.S., this midlife crisis comedy was a huge success. With well over $150 million in box office receipts, this movie means most of the cast delivered one of the biggest box office hits of their careers. Indeed, "Party Animals" director Walt Becker's flick has undeniable entertainment value, not least because of its cast. The gags in which the aging stars take aim at themselves are without question one of the film's major plus points. They contribute to the fact that "Born to be Wild" has become an entertaining, nice comedy. Netheless, a bland aftertaste remains, because both the cast and the subject matter have so much comic potential that the end result is comparatively disappointing. Far too often, Becker reaches into the box of worn-out, cheap jokes that weren't really funny twenty years ago. The hunt for as many quick laughs as possible is clearly at the expense of quality, which could have been greatly enhanced by a few more subtle gags. For the most part, the performances from the cast are routine, but also never live up to their full potential. Tim Allen is just Tim Allen, as you know him from his series "Listen to Who's Hammering" and quite a few feature films. John Travolta tries to make fun of his own image, but doesn't always achieve the desired success. The only really pleasant surprise is William H. Macy. Although the mime has often been seen in comedic roles, the character actor does a particularly good job here as a lovable jerk. In total, "Born to be Wild" is a harmless, occasionally amusing little film that doesn't really hurt, but falls far short of its potential. It's definitely entertaining, but the whole thing is unfortunately far from being as saumäßig good as the German subtitle suggests. Still, for fans of harmless comedy fare, well worth watching! Original title: Wild Hogs Directed by Walt Becker Length: approx. 99 min. FSK: age 6+ 12 - 18.07.2007 CineStar 14.40, Sun/Thu also 12.00

Ein Artikel von Frankfurt-Tipp