The World's Fastest Indian [2005]

Amazon.co.uk Review

A movie that exudes affection and goodwill, The World's Fastest Indian is an unabashed mash note to a lovely character from New Zealand's recent past. Burt Munro, played by Anthony Hopkins, is a cantankerous Kiwi with an obsession: he's been tinkering with his 1920s-era Indian brand motorcycle for years, pushing it to ever-faster speeds. It's the 1960s, and Burt has the utterly mad idea of taking the bike to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, site of world records for speed racing. The movie takes a while to get to the journey--and then the journey takes a while--but the genial atmosphere prevails. (People of a certain age, for whom the word "Bonneville" evokes pleasant associations with hotrods and world-speed records, will not be disappointed in the film's location shooting, or its sense of awe.) Hopkins is not quite on-the-money casting for the jovial, happy-go-lucky Munro, and his accent wavers, but he nails the emotional scenes and the fascination with speed. Smaller bits are well-filled by Diane Ladd and Christopher Lawford (son of Peter), who looks uncannily of the era. New Zealand director Roger Donaldson doesn't take any chances here, but the story clearly means something to him, and that sense of commitment carries the film through its sleepier moments. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews:

superb movie that shows the best in people.......2008-01-29

What a great film. Hopkins is superb as the main character Burt Munro who dreams of breaking the land-speed record with his motorbike (the Indian). The storyline is simple, engaging, entertaining and genuinely funny in places as Burt's journey takes him around the world as he attempts to realise his dreams. His mild-mannered enthusiasm and simple honesty wins people over everywhere he goes and his courage is inspiring. There are lots of brilliant moments in the movie, one of my favourites is when he discovers he's got a heart condition the nurse says "I'm afraid you're biking days are over", his simple reaction is "like hell they are" and he puts the pills into his motorbike's fuel tank to make it go faster. Superb.

Good story well told.......2008-01-27

Lovely film, well shot & acted. Hopkins is very good (dodgey accent though) with some solid supporting characters. Very enjoyable old fashioned film which makes you reflect on ageing/ ambition and stuff.

Even my bike hating wife loved it!.......2008-01-17

A great film by a wonderful director. I persuaded my wife to watch it even though she does not like bikes and she loved it too. The nearly two hours shot by. Funny, sad and touching in all the right amounts. Anthony Hopkins gave a strong a very likeable performance. Well worth watching, an absolute pleasure.

Fantastic film!.......2007-12-10

What a great story, portrayed so well. I did not kow what to expect from this film, and only bought it on the recommendation of a friend. It is a simple basis for a story, but fantastically played out in this film.

Thoroughly entertaining, and highly recommended! At such a cheap price, it is a bargain also.

underated or what.......2007-09-17

Just a quick sum up this one ,what an amazing film .

I,m an amature collector ,and have never seen this before,absolute genius
from Hopkins,i think his best yet.

Lets have some more of films like this,

Well done Sir A ..

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