Faster Movie Review
George Tillman Jnr directs this erratic and adrenaline-fueled B-grade action romp. Faster is a film that positions itself deep within the genre, relying on conventional storytelling techniques and cliche characters that compliment Tillman's and cinematographer Michael Grady's arty filming techniques extremely well.
The presence of the anti-hero reminds us of the excessively referenced The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966), as the Driver (Dwayne ''The Rock'' Johnson) sets out to get revenge after his release from prison. Going up against a relentless Cop (Billy Bob Thornton) and the actual Killer (British newcomer Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Faster presents a number of dilemmas for the characters, blending high-octane action with character-driven moments of despair, frustration and anger.
The three focused characters form an incoherent if fascinating trio: Driver is driven by violence but his sensitive side feels like a forced attempt at the audience to have sympathy for him; the Cop is your generic, troubled officer of the law, although his situation presents the audience with the most realistic of character personalities; while the Killer is presented as an outrageous, attention-seeking hypo-active psycho.
Faster blends in a number of Biblical, political and social undertones, and thankfully the film flows well; any inconsistencies in character development and narrative are compliment by the film's mesmerizing visual style and the fascinating nature of the characters.
Director George Tillman Jr.
Starring
Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Maggie Grace
Rating MA15+
Length98 minutes
MMGN movie reviews are rated out of 5 stars
By Gaetano Prestia