Obviously not American but excellent story

Rating: 10/10 (20 November 2007)

Americans would have just bought the motorcycle from China and paid a Mexican to ride it. No wonder this movie was never a hit in old U. Know. Where.. Fabricating pistons from molten metal, stripping tire treads with a kitchen knife, trying to break speed records for 1000cc motorcycles, it's definitely New Zealand material. It takes a certain mentality to relate to it.
Definitely refreshing to hear Anthony Hopkins speak something other than British, but the real Burt was much skinnier. There's no way Anthony Hopkins could have fit on that motorcycle or gotten over 55mph. You would think in this age of premium value for visual continuity, the critics would have picked up on that one.
The story is definitely not 100% factual. Burt visited Bonneville many years before the ride depicted in the movie. Wish the ending had more punch instead of fizzling out, but all you have to do is stop watching it before the ending to get the same effect.