Faster Reviews

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this flick but I thought it could be a decent action flick. At first, it might sound like yet another sequel or spin-off to ‘The Fast and the Furious’ franchise, especially since Dwayne Johnson was playing the main character but, eventually, it didn’t have anything to do with the rejuvenated franchise. Surprisingly, Georges Tillman Jr., the director, made this movie as an homage to the action films from the 70’ s but, personally, I thought it was more a throwback to those 80’s revenge action flicks starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone or one of those guys. The problem is that, nowadays, successful commercial features are either book adaptations with an already established fan base, super-hero flicks, or yet another sequel to a well known franchise. Anyway, basically nobody is really looking for such action movies, except if they include a dozen of action veterans. So, personally, I wasn’t blown away by the whole thing but I think it was still a decent action flick. Indeed, I enjoyed the slick directing by Georges Tillman Jr., for someone who made only dramas so far, he shows a flair for the action scenes. Dwayne Johnson was not bad, and looked pretty menacing but he basically looked pissed off during the whole thing and it became a little bit ridiculous after a while. Furthermore, there were many characters, many sub-plots and it is was probably too much to handle for this action flick. The most striking sub-plot was the one involving a contract killer. Indeed, this story was intriguing but it was either too weird or too underdeveloped to become really compelling. Finally, the whole thing about the tough guy seeking revenge has already been done to death and the makers didn’t add anything really new or interesting to the formula. Still, it remains a rather entertaining feature and I think it is worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

Driver (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) has just completed a dime in the slammer and is looking for revenge against those who not only put him there, but also killed his brother. With a hit list in hand he driver through the desert of Nevada in search of his targets while also being pursued by a contract killer (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and a veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton).

The Rock isn't as strong an actor as he is built. Physically he's imposing, but much of the film leaves him short on spoken material. I'd call this a good call given that his most dramatic scenes aren't believable. Making up for his silence are the creatively named Cop and Killer who both explore relationships and contemplate the bookends of careers.

From a genre-free perspective Faster has the needed pieces to make for some compelling cinema. Unfortunate for the ticket buyer, a likely action connoisseur, Faster has very little action. Driver's checklist is a breeze; most of his prospective victims put up zero fight whatsoever. When the bad guys aren't even trying it's difficult for me to get excited. I've had tougher times finishing grocery lists.

Then there's the story involving Killer. Whatever stoic, forceful appeal Driver displays is contrasted by the arrogance of Killer. This is fine by most measures but Killer never lives up to the hype painted around him. It seems that the title comes from his exclamation that Driver is a faster draw with a pistol, but it would have been just as descriptive to call him inaccurate. This man of adventure is willing to concede that a getaway driver betters him with a gun; I'd rather not tell that to my concerned girlfriend if I were him. I never got the feeling of the game between the two and a highflying car stunt from the trailer, which was absent from the finished product, could hint at a more involving struggle between the characters.

Faster is directed by George Tillman Jr. with high energy. The general look of the film is a slightly more colorized, bleach bypass film look of many recent grungy movies. The editing is crisp and CGI use is limited to being tastefully unobtrusive. Jokes and gags are few in number but every once in a while one crops up to lighten the mood. Overall, very strong pacing with some well incorporated flashbacks and slow motion.

The lack of a classical showdown really hurts Faster, which otherwise measures up as one of the best action/revenge films of recent years. It's getting late in his career for Dwayne to be learning the ropes of what should be his bread and butter, but it's good to see him try.

"You do what you need to do. But you better be sure, cause that's a long, dark road you're headed down."

At long last, after wasting numerous years demeaning himself in trite family films, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has returned to R-rated territory for 2010's Faster; the star's first true action flick since Doom back in 2005. A rock-solid revenge film harkening back to 1970s action flicks, this is a vehemently R-rated feature which delivers on its promise of gritty, bloody violence and shootouts. However, Faster aspires to be more than a fun but ultimately unfulfilling slice of action entertainment - with a roster of intricate characters and a thematic density that's rare in the genre, Faster is more thoughtful than anticipated. And indeed, viewers expecting a mindless action showcase may be somewhat disappointed.

Driver (Johnson) has just finished serving a decade-long prison sentence after participating in a botched bank robbery which resulted in the murder of his beloved brother. Armed with a revolver, an American muscle car and a list, Driver determinedly sets out to slaughter the men responsible for his brother's killing. As bullets continue to fly, a junkie detective known as Cop (Thornton) and his colleague Cicero (Gugino) begin to investigate the killings. The situation becomes complicated, though, when professional assassin Killer (Jackson-Cohen) is hired to eliminate Driver; an assignment that he becomes determined to complete at all costs.

The trailers fooled you into thinking that Faster is a pure action fiesta, but the finished film is a different specimen. It does deliver bloodshed, sure, but the film primarily functions as a powerful mediation on the way that vengeance affects your soul. The film's real strength is the fact that the characters are interesting and multifaceted; an asset truly surprising in a film like this. Granted, the characters are more or less archetypes in the service of a pretty clichéd story, but they feel like real human beings with lives, loves and histories which extend beyond the boundaries of the film's proceedings. Indeed, Faster functions as a character study of the protagonist of each story thread: Driver, Cop, and Killer. However, with the film running at a brisk 95 minutes, it feels like more could have been done with the characters of Cop and Killer. In fact, they could have been the subject of their own movies. They're adequately developed for the production's intentions, granted, but a lengthier, more patient treatment of the premise could've yielded an overall superior, more complete movie.

From a stylistic standpoint, Faster is very much a throwback movie. Director George Tillman Jr. and cinematographer Michael Grady (who worked together on 2009's Notorious) infused the film with a very gritty, cinematic look reminiscent of revenge flicks from the 1970s (think Death Wish or The French Connection), and they captured the action beats using old-school cinematic techniques reminiscent of the '80s. From top to bottom, this is a well-crafted motion picture, and its dark, no-nonsense tone makes for a riveting experience. Despite the film mainly consisting of dialogue, the pace never grinds to a halt. Tillman also excels as a visual director; the three protagonists are introduced in visual terms within skilful, wordless montages. Driver's introduction is especially effective, as so much is conveyed about the character without a great deal of dialogue at all.

It's terrific to see Dwayne Johnson doing hardcore actioners like this instead of tosh like Tooth Fairy or The Game Plan. With his imposing physique, Johnson has an immense screen presence, and his performance here is tough, focused, intense and no-nonsense. Faster is an ideal transitional movie for the former wrestler, as it highlights the star's physical capacity for action movies as well as his acting prowess. This was a complex role for Johnson, but he pulled it off - in spite of minimal dialogue, one can sense both the emotion he feels at any given moment and everything going through the character's mind. This is especially evident during a poignant scene when he comes face-to-face with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje; one of his intended victims. But Johnson is not the only strong performer here. Playing Cop, Billy Bob Thornton is every bit as sublime and nuanced as Johnson, and he afforded much-needed emotional depth to his role. Meanwhile, the charismatic Oliver Jackson-Cohen shows great promise as Killer.

Faster may have problems with its undernourished script and dumb tendencies (in the real world, Driver would've been apprehended long before the climax), but it remains an enthralling little action flick with a lot on its mind. It delivers enough bang for your buck in terms of gritty action and violence, but it also offers sincerity and powerful, provocative themes without becoming a pretentious arthouse bore.

8.2/10

It's an enjoyable film with nice performances from Dwayne Johnson, Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Maggie Grace. For me those from BB Thornton and Carla Gugino were fairly lame. Two things in my opinion detract sufficiently from this film to make it great. Firstly the list was short by one and secondly it's all very predictable. If you haven't seen this film yet give it a go 'tis fun and you know what you're getting from this kind of movie. Also you should probably stop reading here.

*SPOILER*

His brothers girlfriend should definitely be on the list. Also and the biggest shame of all was the very predictable nature of the action. The ending was completely ruined by the revelation from BB Thornton's partner that they were "going to hell for what they did" Cheers then, just reveal the end 'twist' halfway through the film :-(

7/10

This movie, in my opinion, is totally forgettable. Sure, it's action, but it's just not good writing, totally predictable, from start to finish. Dwayne Johnson, if I didn't know he was capable of better, gives a pretty sub-par performance, Billy Bob Thornton isn't great, nor is Carla Gugino. The scene I liked most came almost at the end of the movie, and I think I liked the interaction between the Killer and his girlfriend/wife a lot better than anything else in the whole movie. The story plods along, coming to a fairly predictable finish, and the whole movie is just a waste of time, as it's not one you're bound to remember or rave about after having seen it.