I should start by saying I'm probably one of the few folks who hated "The Fast and the Furious." An empty-headed, by-the-numbers, high-concept movie if there ever was one, it was all flash and window dressing...hot machines, hot babes and hot racing all linked by an unnecessarily stupid story involving a high-jacking ring, mainly because conventional wisdom demands that movies have plots. I would argue movies like this would probably be just as successful WITHOUT a plot; in fact a better movie could have been made which focused exclusively of the street racing subculture. I say all this because "Biker Boyz" tries very hard (but ultimately fails) to be a street-biking version of "The Fast and the Furious." It, too, has hot machines, hot babes and hot racing, all linked to an unnecessarily stupid story, this time involving the main character's attempt to make a name for himself in the world of street-bike racing in the wake of this father's death.

Derek Luke plays Kid, an ambitious youth who desires nothing more than to make a name for himself among the various motorcycle clubs in Los Angeles. His father (Eriq La Salle, who must be wondering what the hell he was thinking by leaving "E.R."), is the mechanic for Smoke (Laurence Fishburne), the leader of the Black Knights and undisputed king of street-bike racing. Kid wants to be a Black Knight, but scoffs at being treated as a child by Smoke and the other Knights. After his father is tragically killed, Kid starts his own club - the Biker Boyz - and dedicates himself to knocking Smoke off the top of the mountain. Other than a few unsurprising twists and turns, that's pretty much the plot of "Biker Boyz." The plot is merely an excuse to link the racing scenes. These scenes are competently done, but while illegal drag racing may be considered cool to the young audience at which this picture is aimed, from a cinematic standpoint, they are a dull fare indeed, despite director Reggie Rock Bythewood's efforts to spice them up with flashy editing and P.O.V. shots. And, not that I expect every movie to smack of realism, despite the illegal nature of this activity, there's nary a single cop to be seen, even though these folks are physically blocking off what seems to be miles of road in order to race. What's worse, the scenes in between range from boring to phenomenally annoying; the Kid character, though the protagonist, is an obnoxious jack-ass, and when he isn't engaging in verbal chest-thumping, he's pissing and moaning about everything else...and we're supposed to identify with this guy! Despite his top billing, Fishburne is given relatively little screen time, and even less of a character to work with (will Hollywood PLEASE stop wasting this guy's talent?). The cast also includes Orlando Jones, whose obnoxious character's main purpose is to spout bad prose announcing Smoke's arrival, and Kid Rock, surprisingly effective as Smoke's nemesis. A usual in films of this ilk, the role of all the female cast members is to support their men and look hot (which, admittedly, they do well).

Presented in 1.85 anamorphic widescreen, I was surprised at the overall graininess of the picture, especially noticeable during the night scenes (which comprise the bulk of the film). There are no scratches, but considering the high-quality present in most Dreamworks releases, it's a bit disappointing. They do a better job with the soundtrack, which is offered in 5.1 Dolby Digital, 2.0 Dolby Surround and 5.1 Surround.

Some deleted scenes are offered (though I can think of numerous other scenes which should have joined those featured here). Also featured is a documentary, "Behind the Action," hosted by cast member Orlando Jones; it isn't bad, but not nearly as comprehensive as those included on other Dreamworks releases.

While I realize films like this aren't supposed to be character studies, I would think they would benefit greatly from including at least ONE character we give a damn about, especially since the numerous action sequences offer little we haven't seen done better before. "Biker Boyz" may please some undemanding action fans, but even those who think "The Fast and the Furious" is the "Gone with the Wind" of the 21st century may want more than this.