Movie Review: "Motocross Kids"

Rated: PG for mild violence and language
Starring: Lorenzo Lamas, Alana Austin, and Dan Haggerty
Released: 2004

Synopsis: Evan Hansen couldn't be prouder when his daughter Callie (Alana Austin, Motocrossed) wins a big championship! Unfortunately, just after her victory, she announces that she is retiring from motocross racing.  To find a new champion rider to train, Evan goes back to his old stomping grounds: the Bony Pony ranch.  Unfortunately, he discovers that the beloved place from his childhood is in danger of being overtaken...and by a motorcycle gang, no less! Three kids at the ranch make a bet with the gang members: If the Bony Pony riders win a race, they get to keep the ranch.  Just when victory seems close at hand, their champion rider sustains a debilitating injury! They'll need to find a replacement, and quick...but, who--or what--will it be?

The Good: As extreme sports movies go, this one was pretty good.  The BMX action was on point, and the plot kept me interested, even though the conclusion was pretty much as expected.  Unlike many films, this one did not betray its MPAA rating; everything stayed within "PG" boundaries.

The Bad: Despite its great production values and clean content, this film still seemed a bit lackluster; then again, I'm not much of a sports fan, so, what do I know? Even though I enjoyed it, I kind of wish I had gotten it from the library instead of buying it.

Content Concerns:

• Sex: None.
• Nudity: Midriff and brief cleavage.
• Language: One d-word; one bleeped word during the outtakes at the film's end; other than that, language is limited to name-calling and euphemisms such as "heck" and "jeez".
• Violence: Rough-and-tumble sports action, including one accident that leads to a broken arm; a barroom brawl that is not bloody or graphic, but still a bit drawn-out.
• Drugs: None.
• Frightening/Intense Scenes: The motorcycle gang is a bit scary, and the jeers they make at the heroes smack of bullying; the accident scene involving the broken arm; scenes of emotional intensity.

Conclusion: Even though I'm not a sports fan, I am a movie lover, and I can appreciate a well-made film with sports as its theme.  I've watched and enjoyed other similar flicks, including both ones made by the Disney Channel (Double Teamed, Motocrossed) and ones from other studios (Hoosiers, The Climb).  While I probably won't watch this one again, I enjoyed seeing it over the past seven days.  Unless you're a complete motocross fanatic, I can only recommend renting this, though.

Score: 3.5/5