In the 80's, Brian Bosworth was a big deal. A two time All-American with the Barry Switzer coached Oklahoma Sooners, he wrote his autobiography during his first season with the Seattle Seahawks. Bosworth was a pro wrestler in real life, talking crap on the NCAA, publically claiming he would contain Bo Jackson (he didn't) and trash talking John Elway so much that 10,000 Denver fans bought and wore "Ban the Boz" t-shirts. And those T-shirts? He manufactured and sold them.Yep, Bosworth knew how to play the media game, even if his NFL career ended after three seasons. But what was next?Acting. Of course! And the first film that Bosworth starred in was Stone Cold, a tough cop versus evil bikers epic.Joe Huff (Bosworth) has been suspended for how rough he is on criminals. In fact, the film starts with him decimating several crooks that are robbing a supermarket. A government agent blackmails him into going undercover to stop a white supremacist biker gang, The Brotherhood.The gang is led by Chains Cooper (Lance Henriksen, Near Dark), who is over the top insane. Just seeing the stuff the gang does in the opening montage will give you an idea of how amazing this film is going to be - they shotgun a priest through a stained glass window seconds into the start of the movie.Joe becomes John Stone, but the rest of the gang doesn't accept him. And his FBI contact Lance (Sam McMurray, Raising Arizona) is a germophobe who is really no help at all.To finally be part of the gang, Joe/John has to kill a man. The FBI helps him fake the kill, but Chains' top guy, Ice (William Forsythe, The Devil's Rejects) still doesn't believe in him. Luckily, a high-speed motorcycle chase leads to his death and our hero is in.The gang has one goal: to kill DA Brent "The Whip" Whipperton, who has announced that he is going to become Governor of Mississippi and get tough on crime. They've stolen military weapons and plan on attacking the Supreme Court to save one of their own, the guy who killed that priest.Joe/John falls in love with Nancy, Chains' girl and offers her immunity if she cooperates. But then the man our hero had supposedly killed shows back up and the Brotherhood declares war on him. Chains takes the news that Nancy is cheating on him by shooting her, while he plans on putting a bomb on Joe/John's body and dropping him from a helicopter onto the courthouse.The gang manages to kill the DA, but our hero survives and kicks the poo out of Chains. Yet he is merciful and lets the man live. Bad idea - the villain grabs a gun and comes back for Joe/John, who is saved by Lance.Stone Cold was originally going to be directed by Bruce Malmuth (Hard to Kill, Nighthawks), but personal problems led to the backstory of Bosworth's character being removed from the movie and Craig R. Baxley (Action Jackson, I Come in Peace) taking over.This movie is everything awesome about 80's and 90's action films and their cliches. Yet it's even better, because you have Lance Henriksen writing all of his own dialogue, plenty of explosions, even more nudity, Bosworth's impressive hair and outfits, and a fight scene between WWE's one time heir apparent to Hulk Hogan, Tom Magee (seriously, he had a try out against Bret Hart that convinced everyone that he was going to be someone until everyone realized that Bret was the reason the match was so good) and Bosworth. And hey, how did Bosworth never get into pro wrestling, what with him coming from the same school as Steve "Dr. Death" Williams and being friends with Jim Ross?I have no idea how this isn't a movie that is treasured and celebrated by genre geeks. It's such a time capsule of how one man captivated our attention and became a major star before disappearing.

In the 80s and early 90s, there were a number of movies that may not have had the most solid story, but what the they lacked in story they more than made up for in action, all kinds of mindless action that any red blooded American could sink his teeth into. 1991's "Stone Cold" is a perfect example of this; despite not having the best written story or being the best produced film, you still can't help but be entertained. The film follows the story of a rough and tough cop Joe Huff (Brian Bosworth, aka The Boz, former NFL player who tried his hand at acting and while he may not be a great actor, he does do a decent job for the role) who is forced to go undercover in a vicious biker gang known as The Brotherhood, who's motto is "God Forgives, the Brotherhood Doesn't" (a motto that was almost certainly borrowed from the American Outlaw Association or Outlaws MC, their's being "God Forgives, Outlaws Don't). While going undercover, the Boz faces all sorts of dangers, be it from fights, guns, knives, explosions, but above all, from the gang's infamous leader, Chains Chopper, played by the always entertaining Lance Henriksen. Even though this is far from being standard A material, Lance dives into his character, producing one of the best bona fide psychopaths in the history of action cinema and thus making the movie all the more better because of it. You also have William Forsythe in an equally menacing role of Ice, Chains' right hand man and constant bump in the road for the Boz. Then there is the beautiful Arabella Holzbog (sadley, I can't seem to find any info on her) as Nancy, Chains' old lady (biker slang for wife or girlfriend) who ends up falling for Huff, not realizing that he is a cop which leads to tragic results. All in all, if you're a guy and in the mood for a man's man movie, filled with plenty of action and hot naked women, plus some really nice motorcycles, then "Stone Cold" would be a great way to spend some time on Sat night. Also starring Sam McMurray and Richard Gant. 8 out of 10. PS Although this is more of a man's movie, women may get some enjoyment out of seeing Bosworth without a shirt and, in one scene, wearing nothing but a speedo. Hint guys, this a good way to sell this to your wife or girlfriend for movie night.

I have a non-fiction book titled, "Under and Alone" by William Queen. It's about a ATF Agent infiltrating and becoming a full patch-holding, and officer, member of a 1% Outlaw Motorcycle Club (not "gang" but club) This movie seems almost based on it. The first time I watched this movie, I was not impressed. I have watched it 2 more times and it actually is more like what the lifestyle of (violent) 1% M/C clubs are about. The bikes were authentic (no Hondas w/Harley primary covers wired on) the "Bros" have tattoos and dress/act the part. Bosworth's performance is actually okay. He comes across as semi-convincing. His lack of any tattoos really makes him look like an "overgrown Bamm Bamm" but it's his movie, so... The extremely violent ending in the courthouse is rather over the top, though. Dozens upon dozens of people killed and injured and only TWO stretchers are seen entering the building. Then Bosworth walks away. That's not how it works, but, it's his movie, so... If you want to see what Outlaw Brotherhood is (sort of) about, it's all here, in "black and white". (true outlaws know what I mean by that) Worth viewing, for sure. "Under and Alone" is recommended to read, too. Great book.

My summary is not really a compliment at all. Brian Bosworth was not a horrible actor, but was a horrible professional football player. I am surprised that he was not able to get many roles after this one, unless he declined to play villains and secondary characters. He is not star material, he reminds me of Dolph Lundgren, but whereas Dolph seems to recognize that the only roles he is going to get in more big time fare is by not being the lead, my guess is the Boz felt he should be the big cheese in any film he participated in. Still, all the negative stuff aside this movie was not exactly bad. It was enjoyable in places and did provide entertainment as it was very violent and had nudity and all that stuff that were the stuff back in the 80's and early 90's. Brian plays a guy who goes undercover or something to stop these biker dudes who are linked to crimes or something to that effect. The plot is not really important in a film such as this, you watch these films for the action and shoot outs and the boobs and this movie offers plenty. Still, it may have been better had they put someone bigger in the starring role and perhaps even got someone better for the villain role too. Lance Henrickson is a good actor, just did not have the look of a biker leader that he played here.