“Drive Angry”
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This is a pretty good nod to the exploitation films from the 1970’s. Over the top violence, great cars (especially the Charger that Piper (Amber Heard) drives), and plenty of blood and gore.
You have brilliant performances from Tom Atkins, who plays the been-there-done-that, nothing-surprises-me police captain ; David Morse as Milton’s tough-as-nails-yet-still-sentimental friend Webster; and Billy Burke the satanic-bad-guy-extraordinaire Jonah King. Amber Heard is little hellcat, Piper, in this movie, but I think they were worrying too much about her sex appeal rather than her believability, really it’s okay for her to look bruised and beaten when she’s either kicking the shit out of someone or getting the shit kicked out of her every few scenes. Nicolas Cage, does an adequate job as John Milton, giving that quiet intense look that he’s kind of known for. The problem is, I want someone who does an outstanding job, someone who doesn’t just look intense, but screams intense with every breath, word, and move. Maybe it’s just me, but it’s really rare that he leaves me more than just lukewarm. But it was really William Fichtner who makes the movie worth watching. He stole every scene he was in, completely embracing his role and making it his own. Every once in a while, he would smirk and I had to wonder if he was trying not to laugh.
Love the music. The CGI was cheesy. Lots of cheesy. The little touches they add, like the guy in the flag shirt taking photos at the beginning of the movie when Piper catches her fiance being naughty or the song “That’s the way I like it” when The Accountant is driving the truck toward the road block, were wonderful. But the writing, Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer’s story, that really appealed to me. Snarky in all the right places, amusing references, the quips Milton uses when speaking with The Accountant (You think you’re Wotan? -or Anubis, etc), loved the verbal sparring, the dialogue was engaging, quick and fun. This could really become one of my favorites.
This movie I’m going to go ahead and give 4 full rum ‘n cokes. And a full rum ‘n coke of that is just for William Fichtner.
