Movie Review: Need for Speed (2014)
Written by Anthony Sargon
Video game adaptations have historically been pretty bad. With atrocities like “Super Mario Bros.”, The “Resident Evil” franchise, and more mediocre fare like “The Prince of Persia”, studios just never seem to get them right. “Need for Speed” is actually in a unique position to succeed. It gives director Scott Waugh the opportunity to create something without having to worry about crafting a faithful adaptation. At the end of the day, as long as the movie has fast cars and street racing, it’s as faithful as it’s going to get. With the only other street racing franchise being the “Fast & Furious” flicks, there’s certainly room for “Need for Speed” to become a successful property. But enough of my rambling; how did the film actually turn out? Honestly, it was surprisingly decent.
When Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) gets out of prison after being framed by his old rival Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) for the death of his friend, he decides to join the biggest and most exclusive cross-country race around in order to avenge him. When Dino finds out that Tobey is out to get him, he places a bounty on his head in the hopes of eliminating him before he even makes it to the start of the race.
I was actually really impressed with the racing sequences. I appreciate the minimal use of CGI, and it gives the film a more authentic and gritty feel. It’s not as polished as the “Fast & Furious” flicks, which is totally fine by me. There are even little nods to the video games, like a mini-map that displays cops as flashing red and blue lights (classic NFS), constant police updates in the background, and remote racing locations akin to some of the later games in the series. It also helps that Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul stars in the film, and he lends it some additional charm and credibility. Paul is also well matched with Imogen Poots, who plays Tobey’s love interest Julia; she’s incredibly likable. Dominic Cooper gets the job done as Dino, but he’s not the most memorable movie villain out there by any stretch of the imagination.
Sadly, the flick is a bit too somber and self-serious, especially for something based off of a fairly over-the-top and silly property. There are very few moments of levity, and the film screeches to a halt when people aren’t racing, and considering that the movie is over two hours long, that can get pretty taxing. Michael Keaton and Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi are probably the only two actors in the film who look like they’re having fun, even if they’re often let down by poor dialogue.
The Verdict:
“Need for Speed” is probably the best video game adaptation by default. It should have been lighter and more fun, but thanks to some well staged and authentic street races, the film gets a pass.
Numerical Score: 6/10
Read the Original post on A Geek's Blog
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/122136 |