Motorpsycho Maniacs (2019) Review
Shot as Sex Terrorists on Wheels, (the screener I saw still had that title), Motorpsycho Maniacs is a new grindhouse-style motorcycle gang film from director Stefan Ruf (One by One) and co-writer John Herndon (Frame Switch). Not the ones from American International with Peter Fonda and actual Harleys, the ones like Al Adamson’s Satan’s Sadists with cheap Japanese bikes and lots of blood.
That blood starts flowing early as within the first five minutes. A drug deal turned into a double crossing results in a man being scalped and fed his own dick. His pregnant girlfriend gets hacked up as well. That’s the work of Lobo the Wolf (Justin Henry, Slaughter Creek) and his gang, The Sex Terrorists. Meanwhile, Texas Rangers Captain Isaac Burton (Don Daro, Scare Package, Virgin Cheerleaders in Chains) and Sticky Joe (Michael L Garcia Jr.) have captured Enyo, aka The She Beast of Devil’s Mountain (Larissa Dali, Don’t Save Me) and are escorting her back to custody. Unfortunately, their safe house turns out to also be Lobo’s hideout.
If you get the idea that Motorpsycho Maniacs is an exercise in gruesome bad taste you’re right. Scalping faces peeled off, cannibalism courtesy of Liver Eating Larson (Gregory Kelly, Butcher Boys) and male and female rape. And, of course, lots of nudity. Eventually, Enyo, who’s been hiding a few secrets, escapes and hooks up with Ezra (Gary Kent, Danger God, Satan’s Sadists), a blind marksman with a seeing-eye coyote. As the pressure builds the gang turns on each other as everyone tries to get away with the drugs and cash.
Motorpsycho Maniacs does a fairly good job, give or take the cannibalism, of recreating the feel of the cheesier biker films from back in the day. Casting veteran actor/stuntman Kent was a nice touch. He was in many of the films that inspired Motorpsycho Maniacs, including Hell’s Angels on Wheels, the source of the film’s original title. His presence serves as a nice link back to them.
Granted, the plotting could have been a little tighter and maybe a bit more believable as well. And some of the attempts at political humour like having Lobo accusing people of racism and proclaiming “Black Lives Matter” are so out of place and pointless they’re annoying. Having him tell somebody “Grab her by the pussy” at least fit his personality.
But overall there’s not to much to complain about. You watch a film like Motorpsycho Maniacs for the violence and bare breasts, and it delivers plenty. And, as an added bonus, most of the gore is done with practical effects.
Motorpsycho Maniacs is available to stream and on DVD. It’s also available on Blu-Ray under its original title from Darkside Releasing. You can check the film’s Facebook page for more details.