Faster [Blu-ray] [2011] [Region Free]

Fresh out of prison, Driver (Dwayne Johnson - The Other Guys) has one thing on his mind - revenge. Meeting his handler R.G. (Mike Epps - Friday/Next Friday/Friday After Next) he is given the list of people who are responsible for him ending up in the slammer for the last ten years. Word gets out that Driver is on the warpath and the head-honcho orders a hitman on him to stop him completing his vengeance. The hitman turns out to be the world's youngest & most successful internet start-up who, bored with stocks and yoga, has turned his hand to contract-killing [naturally]. All the while, Driver has been attracting the attention of the police and the unorthodox practices of Cop (Billy Bob Thornton - Mr. Woodcock). Weeks from retirement, Cop sees putting Driver back behind bars as his swan song. Will Driver get his vengeance? Or will he be stopped in his tracks by Killer or by Cop?

Faster is a fairly brainless movie, I say this because I don't want to give the impression that it will amaze you with witty plot devices or twists & turns. But the simple linear premise of three characters inexorably speeding towards a showdown adds a palpable sense of tension throughout the film. The character development in Faster is fantastic and largely unparalleled as it builds the bad-guys just as much as the good-guys. We see the sensitive side of Killer (played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen - who could easily by Jake Gyllenhaal's clone, except he can act) and his relationship with his fiancée Lily (Maggie Grace - Malice In Wonderland) and his doubts about being able to actually kill Driver. Whilst Cop is a twisted character who walks the morally grey-area of the law and has marital problems himself - as a result of all this development I felt that regardless of the outcome of the film, a character that I truly liked was going to end up in the dirt.

Faster is well-shot and well directed by George Tillman Jr. There are some great shots of the cars (Driver's choice is a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS whilst Killer's is a modern-day Ferrari) and some arty "behind the tachometer" shots of the interior. The score is original, produced by Clint Mansell and fits the aesthetic of the film well but is not all that memorable.

A great film that kept me riveted from the outset, gung-ho, brash, explosive and violent but boy is it fun along the way. Recommended!

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is easily one of the more successful wrestlers-turned-actor in recent years, starring in many big-budget releases, compared to the straight to DVD releases of his counterparts, Stone Cold Steve Austin & The Undertaker. Part of his charm comes from the fact that beneath his hulking muscles and strength lies a friendliness that he manages to infuse into roles, such as: Get Smart, The Tooth Fairy and Welcome to the Jungle.

In Faster, The Rock seems to play against his usual stereotype with a much darker character. The nameless `Driver' leaves prison after a long sentence and despite the well-intentioned advice to reform and find a new life, he immediately goes out and kills an office worker in cold blood, prompting a police investigation into his past and the trail of carnage he leaves in his wake, as he goes on a rampage killing what seems like unconnected people. As the police investigate his crimes, it appears that the is a dark secret that compells the 'Driver' to commit these ruthless murders.

While the plot may be somewhat predictable in places, it is a good take on the revenge-thriller, although not quite as stylish as the Kill Bill films, which it takes some of its cues from, especially with the video-game style progression of the various bad guys responsible for driving the Rock on his vendetta of murder. The Rock's physique lends itself well to these brutish and fierce characters, much like Arnold Swarzenegger and Sly Stallone once did.

Billy Bob Thornton co-stars as a heroin-addicted cop on his last chance with both his wife and his superiors, who has landed this high profile case as a means to redeem himself. Billy Bob manages to play his character as very personable, despite his flaws, and was very watchable on the screen in a nice contrast to the stoic approach that the Rock took in his character.

The one character who soured the film somewhat for me was the playboy assassin, who spoke with an unconvincing English accent (the kind of accent that Americans think we have, but we don't actually have) and had some strange compulsion to hunt people down, despite the fact he had a beautiful girlfriend, who wanted him to settle down. To make matters worse, his storyline ultimately served no real purpose to the film and could have been omitted, or drastically trimmed down.

Overall, this was a solid film with a good storyline that managed to throw in a few curve-balls in places. If anyone wanted to hold up an example of The Rock as a legitimate actor, despite his career's beginnings, then you couldn't go wrong with picking this film. While it won't win any awards, it is a good example of the modern revenge genre post-Kill Bill.

Rating - 7 / 10

this is a great film for fans of The Rock who want to see him do what he does best.....kick ass and act in action movies.
the plot is simple, but what are you expecting from a straight up revenge movie. the main 3 characters are all intertwined and lead up to a very good final showdown. the rock is class as the tough guy out for revenge as well as those moments where we see his softer side, doubting what he is doing. we have seen great ACTING from the rock in some previous films, this film showcases his action man status as well as his good acting abilities

i loved the soundtrack too, it fitted perfectly with the film and i found myself looking out the soundtrack online afterwards

along with this and fast and furious 5, hopefully The Rock continues in his action movie role