Idris Elba: King of Speed

I'm not great lover of cars since I don't earn enough to access really good ones and, I guess even if I did, I'm naturally too cheap to shell out for them anyway. I do like shows about them though because I do still like the idea of speed and racing and when I was younger and stupider I was lucky enough to do things with and to my father's car that he didn't know about at the time. That said, the main thing that brought me to this BBC series of two programs was that I do really like Idris Elba. He has had a great year and I was a little surprised to find that someone who had been in several blockbusters during this year and (at the time) was being talked about regarding Oscars etc, would find the time to essentially make a Top Gear episode. I imagine that the producers slapping themselves on the back because not only is his name a great boost to the films, but he himself really brings everything together really well.

And this bonding effect is needed because this is not perfect by any means, although it is really enjoyable. To talk first about the weaknesses of it, the films try to mix documentary style information with racing, with car-fan footage and with Elba testing himself on various cars and driving techniques. The documentary sections are brief and to be honest the film may have been better without them or, even better, do them a little bit better. Statements are made about the roots of certain styles of racing being in illegal racing and booze running and I would have liked a few more moments of these type of things to give a fuller picture around these statement. This is a minor complaint through because there is a lot in these two hours and it must have been really tough editing it down as they did. While they managed this really well, I didn't think post-production did as well with the sounds. I think it would have been much better to have really captured the sounds of the engines – it does this pretty well but too often there is unnecessary music played over the sequences, music it really could have done without because it almost always sounds like it is in the way.

The reason neither of these really matter to much though is because of several factors. Firstly the film has a great line-up of different groups, situations, cars and styles and it progresses through them well – from those absurd hydraulically lifted lowriders through to rallying through a Finnish woodland. It gives all of them just about the right amount of time and gets good characters in all of them. The second, and biggest factor is Elba. He is passionate, down to earth and very "normal" while also showing the presence and charisma that is part of him being a star. I enjoyed seeing him fail (because all of this stuff is difficult) but also enjoyed his genuine energy and happiness when he got better and started to do well. He is on screen or narrating for the majority of the film and he is never not engaging. I would have liked to see footage from inside his car when he rolled it, and I'm not sure why that wasn't possible, but regardless he is genuine, passionate, likable and makes for a really great heart to the films.

Car fans will love it (despite the masked engine noises) but even those such as myself with only a passing interest will find it enjoyable because it is well paced, entertaining and held together by Elba, showing all of the good side of his character and none of the celebrity ego that he could well have been carrying with him after such a series of years as he has had. I have no idea why the BBC put this onto BBC2 rather than the main channel, because it is so easy to enjoy that it deserved a bigger stage than it perhaps got. Worth seeking out if you get the chance – it is a lot of fun.

Wow, wasn't expecting this 2 part series to be so griping. Idris does a spectacular job narrating the entire show, and his passion with cars and racing really gets expressed on screen.

Part 1 was great, but part 2 was even better. His relationship with Rally Champion Ari Vatanen and his son is fantastic, and what a character Ari is. We get to see Idris build up his rally skills over the entire episode, from racing a first gen mini cooper, to drifting, to motocross trials.

Music throughout was very good, and the shots of Idris rallying was superb. Don't hesitate to take a look at this 2 part series if you are a fan of rallying.

What's the goal of this? alright the guy wanna be james bond and do a random speed record on a beach with a bentley, but nobody carres!! anyone could smoke him in a honda civic with fart can and K&N stickers, no need for tow hook on this one .

Idris Elba managed to persuade the BBC to do a show for them on fast cars, as the Top Gear boys could not deliver a Christmas Special on time again.

Elba who started out as tyre fitter in London, saved up enough money to buy a souped up Ford Fiesta at the age of 14 in the late 1980s.

Elba does not explain how he managed to get a driving licence and insurance at that age. Also in those days, surely any self respecting teenager would want to own a Ford Escort XR3!

Elba in this two part series looks at some of the world's most popular motorsports in the USA and Europe and the speed culture from its underground beginnings.

Elba tries out various cars and motor bikes. He goes NASCAR racing, rallying and drifting. He talks to underground street racers.

Elba's enthusiasm is infectious and is a likable enough personality to make this series work. It is light and frothy but enjoyable and Elba did work up a sweat with his rallying antics.