Customer Reviews

Taxi [1999] [DVD]

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the only film that I have rented out more than three times! I think that it is that good. The film is great for people who are into cars and chase scenes. Daniel in his BTCC 406, and the Germans in there Merc 500E's. Great to watch.(Plus you get to hear a throaty V8 roar!) Unfortunatly it is only avalible in french. Please, only buy/rent the subtitled one. I was unlucky to watch a dubbed version. Some of the worst dubbing I've seen. Avoid. I've ordered the soundtrack for it. Only decent french music that I've heard really. Can't wait for Taxi 2, and possibly its game, which I've played in demo form. Its not too bad. Overall, an unmissable film for speed junkies!

This is a highly entertaining film that is definitely one to buy as it is a film that can be watched again and again.

The cast is excellent with each member fitting their role, with the interaction between both Daniel and Emilien as well as the supporting cast such as Lilly and Camille being first class, this results in the humour being excellent from start to finish. The film is not just comedy though there are some fast car chases, which have some great camera work and they fit in with the style of the film and are definitely entertaining.

Incase you didn't know this is a French film, as can be seen from the patriotic use of a Peugeot as "the" car. This also means that the audio is French only with English subtitles but this doesn't detract from the film and as with most good subtitled films after a while you don't even notice that you are reading them.

Perhaps the weakest aspect of the film is the script but it is not bad and there is enough present with the comedy moments, cast and car chase scenes to stop you really noticing. All in all this is a film that doesn't try to be anything other than it is, its not over complicated and is something you can just sit down relax and enjoy.

Hollywood certainly does not, testament to this would be the 2004 hideous rehash involving Queen Latifa and some Swedish orientated girls performing the heist. The reason why the remake is so damned awful, is that Americans do not understand the subtlties of European humour, failing to realise that slap stick and obvious ploys to get women dressed in next to nothing do not work, nor does the ebonical slang that haunts many a film, spoken from stereotypical aggressive blacks.

Anywho...I don't own many comedy films in the film collection, often the formula is repetitive, and certain films can only be endured a handful of times before coming tiresome, and placed in the back of ones collection to gather dust, to be left there until the time comes when DVD's are replaced by something else all together. Taxi, however, is a severely enjoyable romp, which I can find myself watching on a frequent basis as the film is just so damned entertaining.

A Luc Besson script, but not directed by him, presents us with our two main characters, Daniel the greatest pizza delivery boy turned Taxi Driver, and Emilien the most bumbling police officer since Inspector Gadget. The humour is grand, and the difference between the two is highlighted from the very beginning. Daniel is the smooth charmer, from which the humour associated with him comes at the expense of those around him, whilst Emilien is the source of all the gags he provides due to his nature as a complete incompetent (this highlighted brilliantly in the scene where he is learning to drive). But do not let this fool you Emilien is a hard working honest man, and he is in no way handicapped, bar possibly his attempts of trying "too" hard.

The humour is understated which truly makes this one of the greats. Everything is done so stylish and classily, there are no gigantic slapstick moments, or moments of humour based of vulgarities, the humour is exactly what humour should be, quick witted dialogue combined with precarious "sit-com"-esque moments.

The film charts the progress of these two characters as Daniel is entrapped by Emilien and "forced" to work for him, as Daniel and the officers he work with, engage in various plans e.g Operation Cougar in vein attempts to capture the ever elusive and so wonderfully stereotypical German Mercedes Gang (what's in a name!). So the chase is on, and using Daniels modified Peugeot they formulate a plan to trap the krauts ("damn the special franco-German relationship"). This is truly a must for any fan of cinema.

This film is just fantastic in every way and yes you have probally heard it is in french so you have to read the sub-titles but my god dont let that put you off!

Taxi is filled with exciting action and is also very funny in places, it is also much better than The Fast And The Furious films, trust me. Plus the film's soundtrack is brilliant! So if you want to watch a film that is just purely enjoyable and entertaining, this is the one!

After watching Taxi for the first time i straight away rated it as a classic and i was so dissapointed when i heard Hollywood had gone and made a re-make which by the way is just awful! Which just proves this really is a classic.

Its a film with some of the best chase sequences i have seen yet. Without the total need to computer animate every part of it they went out and did it for real. Ok the plot is a bit quirky but so are most French films. People who go and watch this film will never look at other films the same it has it all Cars, Girls, Chases and classic cops and robbers plus a taxi driver.

Brilliant film set in Marseille! Features Sammy Naceri driving his soupped up Peugeuot 406 around Marseille at crazy speeds! The film was very popular in france and features a superb soundtrack by french hip hop crew IAM. Both the film and music CD were number 1 in France for ages. TAXI 2 has been out in France since March 29th, 2000.

A great film, but a little on the short site. And the iffy translation (Poutain does not mean WOW!)

I advise anyone goes see it. the DVD doesnt have any extras except the trailer and cast info which is a shame as some interviews would have been nice. Cant wait for Taxi 2 DVD!

This film proves why the French are the best at film making, it has well thought out action with a great storyline, really well scripted out. The reason the French are so good is because they try to make a good film. The American remake is terrible, all the Americans do is remake every European film there is just so they can make money, there is no point instead they should appreciate other cultures, the rest of the world can.

Luc Besson's original 1998 Taxi movie brings together a hapless cop and a former pizza delivery man who has turned his hand to the taxi game. Set in Marseille, the unlikely duo come together to foil a notorious gang of german bank robbers. This is a light-hearted comedy movie with plenty of high-speed action and is definitely one for car fans. A short film (86 minutes long), it takes 15 minutes to warm up. Subtitles were no issue here as it was high-octane stuff. It's a bit like Smokey and the Bandit with a 1990's urban European slant. Such was the success of this original that it spawned a number of sequels and became one of France's most commercially successfully movie franchises. Good fun (unless you're a road safety campaigner).

It's French, it's fast, it's funny, and they smash and shoot up a lot of cars in 86 minutes. Fun is what it is; very tightly delivered fun and just enough to satisfy.

Who said that the French can't translate humour? This is superb! The (admittedly simple) translation captures everything the film has to offer. It's funny, very un-politically correct, doesn't take itself serious and offers bucketloads of action. I would recommend this for any action junkie, buy it - then buy the second one!