In a post-apocalyptic future, a ruthless vehicular gang called the Highway Warriors is conquering the wasteland through murder and plunder. After an unfair fight, a road warrior named Trace and company brings hell down upon them when they kidnap his sister.
Directed by Cirio H. Santiago, the film delivers cars, bikes, flamethrowers, guns, metal bar combat, swords, nudity, and stunts. The score by Chris Young is excellent, unexpectedly lifting many scenes and giving the wasteland a pulse.
Wheels of Fire leans welcomingly hard into its Mad Max DNA-but with all the rough-around-the-edges, cheap thrills and stunt-scrap fun of those Italian Max-copies. There's a few odd gangs, nomads and underground dwellers thrown in for good measure. Gary Watkins leads as Trace, the wandering hero he's a textbook rugged protagonist, isn't much of a thinker but he makes the punches and car chases count. The late Lynda Wiesmeier (a former Playmate) Arlie involves a lot of nudity, she gives the energy the plot needs and one of the more memorable beats. Laura Banks' killer for hire Stinger (who also has to get topless) is notable, and adds some grit, and Linda Grovenor's psychic Spike adds a little spark.
It's not high cinema-it's raw, sometimes absurd and explosive. But for fans of '80s post-apocalyptic trash with ambition and flair, Wheels of Fire is solid. It's dusty, it's loud, it knows what it is-and the lead actors bring enough presence to make the ride worthwhile.
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