Riders of the Storm Reviews

A throwback to some of the more bizarre political satires of the 1960s, RIDERS OF THE STORM follows the wild exploits of a group of wacked-out Vietnam veterans, led by "Captain" (Dennis Hopper), who fly across the US in a B-29 and jam network airwaves with pirate telecasts of their station, S&M TV. Pledged to prevent the government from conning the public into another Vietnam, captain and crew monitor the mainstream media for lies and then periodically invade the airwaves to tell the people the truth. Their latest crusade is against Mrs. Willa Westinghouse, a conservative candidate running for president who advocates rabid anticommunism, a strong military, and a host of other extreme right-wing platforms. Trying too hard to tap into the same absurdist intensity that fueled DR. STRANGELOVE and CATCH-22, RIDERS OF THE STORM is a curious collection of hip images, video art, improvisation, surrealism, and sophomoric comedy. Director Maurice Phillips' targets are the standard right-wing fare that has entrenched itself in American society during the 1980s. What is refreshing about the film is its wholehearted 1960s sensibility.