Parents' Guide to

BMX Bandits

By Tracy Moore, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

1980s teen bike adventure with sustained menace, peril.

Movie PG 1983 88 minutes
BMX Bandits Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

age 11+

Based on 2 parent reviews

age 11+

Good 80s fun

Definitely not the G rating of today, however fairly harmless and goes over the heads of the young kids. Was an interesting moment when they talked about "believing in the easter bunny"... though that seemed to go over the head of my 6 year old.
age 10+

Watched it with my 5yo and we both LOVED it!

I put 10+ because there's knives and stuff and the "baddies" sometimes look like they've got intent, but my 5yo was fine. The music is typical "80's movies" synth and the whole thing is an excuse for having kids on bikes do stunts everywhere. The last 30mins are brilliant and tickled the child in me. Great, light entertainment. There are innuendos but they went right over my boy's head.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (2):
Kids say: Not yet rated

BMX BANDITS offers an amusing return to '80s freestyle bike culture with some bawdy humor and adventure. Kids may enjoy those bike tricks woven throughout the film's action-driven plot, and some of those chase sequences -- particularly in a creepy cemetery setting -- are good for a thrill.

Parents may like the nostalgia rush, not to mention watching a very young Nicole Kidman in her first feature role. And the movie deserves a thumbs-up for portraying a teen girl character who's considered an equal in adventure, not to mention bike-riding, with her male peers, even if it's totally obvious she has a stunt double for all her best moves. But with endless pursuit sequences that quickly tire, it's a high price of admission just to see neon bikes and feathery hair.

Movie Details

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