Hollywood’s attempt to recapture the sleazy spirit of 1970s exploitation movies has resulted in all manner of abominations, from Quentin Tarantino’s dire ‘Death Proof’ to last month’s redundant remake of ‘The Mechanic’.
So it’s great to see a film which gets it right: Patrick Lussier’s second 3D movie following 2009’s well-received ‘My Bloody Valentine’ may be a bit too slickly self-aware for its own good, but it’s also rivetingly paced, outrageously funny and makes retina-scorching use of the new 3D technology.
Nicolas Cage is on teeth-baring, eye-rolling form as John Milton (nice), the deceased felon who busts out of hell to track down the Southern death cult who kidnapped his baby granddaughter. Hooking up with mouthy muscle-car-driving white-trash waitress Piper (Amber Heard), Milton sets off in pursuit, all the while attempting to avoid the attentions of Satan’s right-hand man, The Accountant (a majestically arch William Fichtner).
Taking inspiration from rough-hewn high-octane ’70s trash like ‘Race with the Devil’ (satanism, motor homes), ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (rednecks, limb-lopping) and ‘Mad Max’ (fast cars, psycho villains, vengeful anti-heroes), ‘Drive Angry’ is a mish-mash of familiar elements, but it’s all lashed together with such relentless drive, blunt invention and pitch-black wit that it’s hard not to get dragged along by it. Lussier’s slam-bang directorial style is exhaustingly excessive, but his action set pieces, including a thunderous motel gunfight in which Cage offs five thugs while having sex with a waitress, are immersive and breathtaking. The result might be the most fun Friday night of 2011.
Good for YOU, Lady True! It's so nice to see a diehard Nicster winning a prize. I mean.....seriously.....don't those who seriously appreciate the man and his artform deserve a perk once in a while? Whooooo Hoooooo!
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"Love one another but make not a bond of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls" ~~~~Khalil Gibran~~~~
WOOOHOOO! many congratulations to both of you Cagecrazy and Lady True!!!!!! We are of course expecting your very own (spoiler free for those who have to wait a while) review!!!
No spoilers, I will just say this movie rocks, I loved it! It is the first time I saw a 3D movie, now I feel addicted, so coool! I kept ducking, lol!!! Piper is more than plucky, she kicks serious ass, Fischtner is amazing, really fantastic, and Nic, well, words fail me, I loved him in this movie. And he is soooo hotttt!!
Yeah, it is awesome, but I actually look forward to seeing it again without 3D when it comes out on video, because it is all so fast and the 3D is so overwhelming in a way, that I think I missed stuff. But seeing Nic in some of those 3D scenes is just fantastic, it really almost feels like you could reach out and touch him! And just as the X rated scene started I got this huge muscle cramp in my leg and was trying to concetrate on the scene while gritting my teeth in agony, so I need to see that part again asap! Might go see it again on my own lol!! That scene really is much longer than the clip and lots more in it. The music is great all though too.