Letterboxd: Need For Speed

I could've happily gone through life never actually seeing Need for Speed, but anecdotal reference led me to believe there might be more beneath the hood than an extra-bland version of Fast & Furious. It turned out it wasn't quite as dull as marketing had led me to believe -- but it wasn't the second-coming of gritty motor cinema, either.

The films strongest talking point seems to be its practical stunts, which differentiate from the increasing absurdity of computer-assisted gimmicks in the Fast & Furious franchise.

Though technically proficient, these feats of driving are rendered largely underwhelming by a devastating lack of cinematic vision or style. A quick glimpse of Bullit in the first reel can only reflect poorly on a movie that lacks its spirit, grit, and conviction.

Need for Speed is a standard story of a mechanic/street racer whose rivalry with a high-flying contemporary takes him down a cliched road of failure, return, and some form of redemption. It's light on, taking minor detours for character moments, but otherwise servicing a rudimentary story that doesn't really kick in until the last act.

Ordinarily I wouldn't necessarily criticize a film of this type for sticking to a tried and true formula, but much of the movie feels as if it's merely doing enough to make the big finish credible. Instead of meandering to the final event through a series of set pieces, the movie may've been stronger if everything were consolidated into a single concept.

The mythic De Leon race is what really seems to matter: an annual underground, invitational super-event hosted by a reclusive former-racer who streams results to petrolheads live online.

Micheal Keaton emerges as the movie's secret weapon, featured as the race host, The Monarch, in a role I don't remember being promoted prior to release! It's a surprising omission, particularly given the film suffers devastatingly from a severe lack of star-power!

The majority of the cast is an absolute charisma vacuum, which makes Keaton's commentary a surprisingly welcome burst of character, despite telling us what we can already see. One can't help but notice he hams it up in complete solitude, sequestered even after the race seemingly ends at his doorstep. A last minute addition, perhaps? His bombastic one-man Greek Choir seems at odds with the movie's under cooked approach, but may be a model for what the whole movie should've been like. The ethos of 'show, don't tell' doesn't help the rest of the film.

Feisty Brit Imogen Poots is the only other consistent bright spark, tagging along as the unlikely co-pilot in a cross-state race to evade police, and killer bounty hunters. This could've been a buzzkill role, but she elevates and humanizes Aaron Paul, who otherwise struggles to live up to the demands of being a leading man. His performance is earnest, but tough guy throat-talking plays silly at worst - boring at best. Slow motion running towards a burning car is unintentional comedy at its most painful. When Poots takes the emotional wheel, the film is better for it, building a one-sided romance on the strength of screen presence, and verve. Diverting from former flame Anita (Dakota Johnson), and her relationship with bad guy Dino (Dominic Cooper), is the right instinct, even though it seems to run contrary to earlier parts of the film.

A more charismatic group of supporting archetypes could've helped the movie and its lead tremendously. The ragtag group of mechanics and tech support are barely thumbnail sketches. Roman Rodriguez seems to carry the most natural gravitas of the ensemble, but also has the least to do. Rami Malek enters the foreground in one of the biggest human set pieces, strutting out of his desk job naked to rejoin the team. It feels like a second-hand movie moment, servicing a character who'll do very little else. If there was a screenplay dictating these fits and starts of character, it's very flabby. There are a couple of genuine laughs that hit, but not nearly enough.

Kid Cudi grapples with flat running gags as he attempts to give the group a sense of interplay. His role as eye-in-the-sky does feel like one of the more original concepts in the film, putting a callsign and face to the video game conceit of navigation. It's unfortunate that his improvised access to various aerial vehicles plays out off-screen, as its a more interesting predicament than our hero deliberately driving on the wrong side of the road. The forced charm offensive doesn't quite work, but it's tough to dislike the musician turned actor.

Occasionally homicidal law enforcement seems to be the only major allusion to the video game series that inspires the film, but I'm not sure much else does.

As practical stunts don't contribute much to the grittiness of the movie -- which includes an absurd Fast & Furious style escape via military chopper and cables -- perhaps a stronger, CG infused cinematic style would've been a better way to go. It could've enhanced the sense of speed and infused the action with greater enthusiasm. Even more interest in location vistas would've been an improvement. Any visual signature to distract from the flat, uninspired cinematography that so many digital films deliver.

When the cops and bounty hunters are unleashed, the movie really picks up a great deal. It's just a shame there weren't more of them! Even the final De Leon race only has six drivers - quickly whittled away! Building an entire movie around the high-concept race, with more vivid characters behind the wheel, might've been a better way to go. An abundance of cliches would at least be more engaging than a few long ones.

This isn't the extra-bland Fast & Furious clone I thought it would be, but it doesn't have a strong enough vision for itself to really deliver on what sets it apart, either. It's neither high-octane car movie, nor gritty low budget thrill ride. In the end, it needed a lot more than just speed - and maybe a little more of that, too.

Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/need-for-speed/