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.
FLASH versus RAG DOLL
