Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Absolutely Fantastic

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Was Evel Knievel the real deal? Of course he was.Was his life as presented here the real deal? Not completely. This is after all silly,1970s late night drive in hokum at it's best. As far as bad movies of the 1970s go,I have certainly seen worse. I received this as a "gag" gift this past Christmas and just watched it last night.To me George Hamilton is the only "actor" famous for being famous,instead of for his movies. (Without peeking at the IMDb list,name another!) He's really funny here,intentional or not and just like I said about KISS Meets the Phantom or Gozilla Vs. Megalon,we shouldn't take this too seriously. I don't believe he dynamited city hall either,I think someone behind the scenes wanted more action than just motorcycle jumping. There was also that anti-police feeling in the 70s too,which would explain Bobby Knievel making the police look stupid.The funniest scene in this movie is when he drives his motorcycle through the front door of his girl's place and up the stairs to her room. After the landlady said "no men here after 10pm"!It's just dumb fun to be had by all,who may once in awhile want to steer away (no joke intended) from "real" movies and just kick back and enjoy the ride. One day I'll find "Viva Knievel" but for now,with his passing not long ago,it's the only tribute I can pay the man. Unless I go out and find a wind up motorcycle from my childhood. Here's to you Evel and a wink & nod to Mr. Hamilton for at least capturing Evel's crazy side. (END)

This film is a comedy and a satire, and as both, it is a double-edged sword - it laughs with it's target audience - 'good ol' boys' and wannabees along the drive-in circuit, primarily in the South - and at them. It is dangerous to laugh at this film, because you may find out you're laughing at yourself - but of course, it is so good-humored, you won't be able to avoid it.This film is not really an Evel Knieval biopic; it is really a study in the culture that makes Knieval possible. The makers of this film - primarily producer-star Hamilton - understand that in the 20th century, Americans developed an unhealthy fascination for 'sports' wherein the performers flirted with death; this could only make sense if some of the performers actually did die. The performers themselves well understood that, but all believed they were invincible, that therefore they were manipulating the secret desire of the audience rather than satisfying it. However, inevitably some - like the rodeo bull-rider early in this film - just did die; no human is invincible, after all.How do film-makers address such a culture without getting cynical or preachy about it? You take one such 'sports'-star and take him on face-value. The ground of this film is the Evel Knieval legend that Knieval himself was hyping at every opportunity - it is simply arraigned in a way that many of his tall-tales reveal themselves as just 'too much' for their own good - even if true, why would anybody do that? Finally, one has to note that this is a fine specimen of a film made specifically for the drive-in circuit: clearly enunciated dialog (those car-speakers), over-lit (has to play against moonlight), fast-paced, careful avoidance of close-ups (only Sergio Leone's were able to hold attention at the drive-in), sweeping scenery, episodic (plenty opportunities for couples to neck), and none too deep.Bottom-line: I first saw this film 20 years ago and only recently saw it again; neither the film nor my opinion of it has changed much all those years - there must be something that still works here.

Anyone who remembers watching the exploits of Evel Knievel back in the late 1960s and 1970s will love this film! George Hamilton plays Evel Knievel as a confident, independent, and slightly foolhardy Knievel who tells his life story through flashbacks before a big jump at Ontario Speedway in California. The best parts are the flashbacks of his growing up in Butte, Montana, where much of the film was shot. It's hard to tell how many of the details of his years in Butte are accurate, but nonetheless they are entertaining to watch. Lots of good action scenes and chases through the streets keep the story moving well (SPOILER: watch for the scene where Evel rides his motorcycle through a sorority house to find his girlfriend - hilarious!). People who don't remember or were not fans of Evel Knievel may or may not like this film, but on its own merits it's an entertaining movie to watch. Rent it if you can find it, and happy landings!!!

Even though as a kid growing up in the 1970s I thought Evel Knievel was, along with Bruce Lee and Bill Bixby as "The Magician", one of the coolest guys on the planet, I'd for some reason never seen this biopic. Boy, watching this now is a trip! It's a mess of a movie really, but fascinating just the same. Firstly you have the oddball casting of George Hamilton as Knievel. Okay, it maybe isn't as left field as him playing Hank Williams, but it's still very odd. Secondly, Evel comes across as a real idiot, giving long winded egotistical speeches, slamming 'Easy Rider' and those "weirdos" for "giving bike riding a bad name". Thirdly, as an actual biography it's useless. We learn nothing about his life or how he became a stunt rider, let alone WHY he did what he did. Instead you get some utterly preposterous flash backs which include Evel kidnapping his future wife, robbing a store and even City Hall (with dynamite!), making you think you're watching some kind of proto-'Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind'! Hamilton gives a very unnatural, mannered performance, and the supporting cast includes Sue Lyon ('Lolita') as his wife Linda, Bert Freed, who was in everything from 'Paths Of Glory' to 'Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?' to 'Billy Jack', made the same year as this (he's the guy who says "We got the law here, Billy Jack"), plays his long suffering doctor, and Peckinpah regular Dub Taylor has a nice bit towards the beginning as the promoter who gives Evel his first break at a rodeo. 'Evel Knievel' is in many ways an awful movie but 1970s heads will get a kick out of it. You either dig these kind of Drive In exploitation movies or you don't. If you do, check this one out, it's a hoot!