Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man: More Than Just Guns and Leather?
Okay, so I watched Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man last night, and I'm still trying to figure out how seriously I'm supposed to take it. Like, it's got Mickey Rourke being all brooding and Don Johnson with that…hair. And a lot of explosions. But it also feels like it's trying to say something about friendship and loyalty, right? My theory is that behind all the cheesy one-liners and the over-the-top violence, there might be a commentary on the changing American landscape and the loss of individuality. Or maybe I'm just reaching. Think about it: Harley and Marlboro are these relics of a bygone era. Harley's still clinging to this biker outlaw image, and Marlboro's this lone cowboy type. They're both out of place in this corporate-controlled future. When they rob the bank to save the bar, it's not just about money; it's about preserving a piece of their world that's disappearing. The whole 'drugs in armored trucks' thing is kinda secondary if you see it that way. What they are trying to preserve is a piece of their soul. Do you remember when Chance Wilder asks Harley, “Is that all you live for, Harley? The open road and cheap thrills?” That is it! That's Harley's soul. And the bank guys? They're faceless suits, symbols of greed and unchecked power. They don't care about people; they just want profit. It's a pretty classic good vs. evil setup, sure, but I think the film tries to add a layer of "us vs. them" between the "little guy" and the corporate machine. So yeah, maybe it's a cheesy action flick, but I think there's something else going on under the surface, even if it's not fully baked. I saw someone describing it as a 'buddy-cop movie on bikes' and I can't disagree but I think that undersells it. I'm probably overthinking it, but I always find it interesting when movies that seem surface-level actually have something deeper bubbling underneath. What do you guys think? Am I crazy, or is there more to Harley and Marlboro than meets the eye? Also, slightly off-topic but who picked out Don Johnson's wardrobe in this thing? Did they like, raid David Lee Roth's closet or something?
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