Faster is the latest starring vehicle for wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson...apologies but I gotta say it. Finally The Rock has come back to the genre that made him a star...and it's a good thing. I will never understand the action stars need to delve into family comedy drivel, but that's beside the point. Despite his quick charm and easy smile, which doesn't make a single appearance in this flick, Johnson's wheelhouse is most definitely action. Yes Faster is an action movie, but it's a surprisingly deep action movie. It differs from a lot of it's peers in that it tries to be a little more grown up and serious. With deeper character development than most of us are used to.
Johnson plays 'Driver' and the story picks up on the day he is released from prison after serving a 10 year bit for armed robbery, and he's out for revenge against the men who murdered his brother. Driver has been provided with a car, a gun and a list of the names and addresses of the men responsible. After he takes out his first target someone hires an assassin, known only as Killer (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) to eliminate him. Also hot on his trail are the cops, a down on his luck, strung out junkie (Billy Bob Thornton) and his Partner Cicero (Carla Gugino), thanks to a handy video one of the guys who killed his brother shot of the murder they know the why but there are no faces on the tape so they don't know the who. As Driver racks up his kill count they find a connection between the victims, they have all been confidential informants.
Along the way Driver visit's his family home, admittedly to kill his father for betraying them, only to find the old man already dead and we learn a little more about his home life from his mother. It's a surprisingly emotional moment amidst all the cars and bullets. There are more than a view moments of emotionally levity in this flick and it's the thing that makes it a little deeper than most action movies. The action keeps coming thick and fast however as the movie comes to a head with a meeting between Driver, Killer and the man that is behind the murder of his brother. In the end 2 of the three leave the meeting with some semblance of peace and one...well...doesn't. I'll let you check the flick out for yourself to learn who comes out on top, it's a fun ride.
I really enjoyed this flick, Johnson does his best work in the action genre, Grid Iron Gang aside and it shows. This is the kind of movie that could elevate him from the mediocre action flicks of yore, he shows great depth and his acting chops get a real workout. If it get's a fair shake Faster should lead on to bigger and better things for Mt. Johnson (typo but it's staying cause the dude's a freaking giant). The cast is further elevated by Thornton whose strung out cop is seeped in despair and desperation, for more than one reason. As the movie progresses Thornton just get's to peel layer after layer off his character until at the end all his motivations and demons are laid bare, it's a great performance.
Faster sports one of Sony's signature gorgeous 1080p transfers. Handling what is in essence a dark and gritty movie with a less than vivid color palette perfectly. With a darker movie the true quality of the transfer needs to be in the blacks and Faster handles them with ease, Inky and crisp. The amount of detail on show is also excellent, from the dingy prison cell to the sandy vista of the final scene everything pops. The audio track is another stand out, from the opening scene in the prison where we can hear every chain rattle, footstep and door clanging to the dull, sickening thud of the bullets hitting home during the action sequences it all sounds amazing.
Special Features
Unfortunately this is where the BD copy of Faster drops the ball a little. There is very limited additional material on offer here. I can't even remember that last BD I saw that didn't have a commentary track but even that is absent from the package. What you do get is not much to write home about either, the package includes the following.
- Alternate Ending: Oddly enough the alternate ending does come with an optional directors introduction so obviously he was involved in the process somewhat. Makes the lack of commentary even stranger.
- Deleted Scenes: Only five of them and there is a reason they were deleted.
- Weapons and Wheels: The Guns, Cars and Stunts of Faster: Self explanatory really a short feature highlighting all of the above. Sure to interest those people who dig that kind of stuff and one of the better items but clocking in at less than 12 minutes there isnt really much there.
- Criminals and Cops: The Cast of Faster: Definitely the best of the bunch, still fairly short but gives a good look at the making off the movie. Focuses on the theme and how they tried to move away from traditional action flicks but still keep it familiar, Johnson's return to the genre and the stories behind the rest of the characters.
- Movie IQ
- Previews
- BD-Live
- Animatics
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Writers: Tony Gayton and Joe Gayton
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Oliver Jackson-Cohen and Moon Bloodgood
Distributor: CBC Films and TriStar Pictures
Website: http://www.fasterthemovie.com/
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