The World's Fastest Indian 2005

Emanuel Levy, Variety: Personal film projects about which directors feel passionate about don't necessarily result in good films as is evident in this manipulative and schmaltzy inspirational fairy tale. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: These days, when movies often fatuously exploit youth and condescend to age, it's refreshing to see something like Roger Donaldson's picaresque action movie The World's Fastest Indian. Read more

Joshua Katzman, Chicago Reader: This compelling fact-based story is [Donaldson's] best effort in years. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: For a film that's ultimately about speed, it could use a little more zip. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: The World's Fastest Indian might be the world's worst title for a charming, slice-of-life biopic starring Anthony Hopkins. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: Far too predictable and far too many colorful supporting characters. Read more

Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The infectious and sugary sweet motorcycle saga The World's Fastest Indian at times seems like the world's slowest movie. Read more

Bill Muller, Arizona Republic: There also are plenty of nuts-and-bolts references to satisfy those interested in racing, whether on two wheels or four. The movie features some funny moments, such as when Munro makes his own pistons and then brews tea from the cooling-barrel water. Read more

Janice Page, Boston Globe: History dictates that you know how the story ends. Still, the heart beats no less fast when you watch Munro's Indian rocketing across those salt flats. You can see how it might be enough to justify a journey halfway around the world. Read more

Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times: Though the movie may be quaint and at times overly familiar, it achieves its goal of being inspiring while portraying a man's singular pursuit of excellence. Read more

Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle: The film may be cutesy-poo for some tastes, and there isn't much nail-chewing suspense in Burt's pursuit or his lighthearted subjugation of everyone he meets. But man and "motor-sickle" sneaked up and beguiled me, so all I could do was hop on. Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Parts of it are enjoyably shaggy, and Hopkins is very endearing. Read more

Michael Booth, Denver Post: The World's Fastest Indian takes off at full-out maudlin and never bothers to throttle down. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: The World's Fastest Indian, in which Anthony Hopkins gets to play an adorably cantankerous old man, is a pretty safe bet as far as movies go. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Hopkins savors every bit of business as his Burt charms everyone in his path. Read more

Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press: Without apology, Munro's story has been embellished and romanticized right to the edge of cornball, where it manages to make a hairpin turn and restore its balance. Read more

Rick Holter, Dallas Morning News: Unfortunately, this two-hour-plus journey feels like it's aboard a genial camel. Read more

Scott Foundas, L.A. Weekly: A warm, spacious road movie with a stirring sense of the wide-open landscapes of the American West. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: If you've not jumped onto the daisy chain of Burt Munro cheerleaders by the film's siss-boom-bah climax, you'll probably end up toasting in the holidays with the Ghost of Christmas Past. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: The World's Fastest Indian is an old-fashioned feel-good movie. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: The World's Fastest Indian does what it sets out to do: educates about a mostly unknown historical figure (without doctoring the facts too much), entertains, and uplifts. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The World's Fastest Indian is a movie about an old coot and his motorcycle, yes, but it is also about a kind of heroism that has gone out of style. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: The inspiring true story The World's Fastest Indian should be mandatory viewing for anyone who has ever said, 'I'm getting too old for this.' Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star: Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: It takes a while to adjust to this amiable film's languorous tempo but you might find it's worth the wait. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: Leaves a sweet, rather than sticky, taste. Read more

Mark Holcomb, Village Voice: It's hard to resist the film's pleasantly rambling narrative and market-defying eccentricity. Read more

Stephen Hunter, Washington Post: As the movie's tag line has it, it's based on a hell of a story. Too bad they didn't just tell it. Read more