Faster

To start of, this movie is not groundbreaking and I doubt it is going to claim to be. It's a simple revenge thriller with a few plot twists. That's why I did not give it a full score.

But those things aside, this movie was quite fun to watch. Loved how Dwayne Johnson finally decided to get back to his action roles after the lame kid movies he had starred in lately. His screen presence was awesome, and kinda reminded me of the good old times while he was wrestling.

The music and the setting were awesome, it really did remind me of the 70's revenge thrillers. The entire movie was like an ode to the old dark and moody revenge movies just as Kill Bill was. I believe they got the setting and tone of the movie quite right, and the music itself was awesome. Nothing flashy just melancholy sounding from beginning to end.

The action scenes were quite good since Dwaynes character (The Driver) just oozed of cold blooded anger and hatred. Making the showdowns quite interesting and funny at one point as well. The other characters were entertaining as well, The Killer and The Cop. Each had their own story going on until they get intertwined with each other as the movie progresses.

Overall I loved the movie and I feel anyone who is wanting to check out a action flick this weekend should definitely check this movie out. It will be worth the money spent if you are looking to be entertained.

I was surprised by this somewhat. I expected a brainless revenge thriller. What I got was a nicely crafted caper, a throwback, a homage, to several genre films.

The storytelling was straight to the point, almost linear. A vengeful juggernaut-The Rock-gets out of jail and seeks revenge for his murdered brother. He's as focused as a laser missile. An eclectic cast of characters are in his way. A strung-out cop out for redemption (Billy Bob Thornton), a neurotic hit-man and various unsavory people.

I thought this was nice nod to 70s style vengeance driven movies and somewhat reminiscent of Richard Stark/Donald Westlake's PARKER character (seen, in its most recent incarnation in PAYBACK, starring MEL Gibson: one man seeking revenge against fellow criminals). A man focused on his mission. The Rock is a cold-blood murder machine. Nothing heroic or even sympathetic about this guy, which makes him fascinating to watch as he runs down his list.

This movie doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it is a nice cure for the sugar coated holiday releases flooding our cinemas. A nice balance of violence, solid acting and some great music provided by THE HEAVY.

I expected the kind of "Fast and Furious" brainless action movie, but it's actually an enjoyable thriller with a certain degree of wit. Definitely better than expected.

(Synopsis) After serving 10 years in prison for bank robbery, Driver (Dwayne Johnson) has only one mission in life, to avenge the murder of his older brother who was killed when they were double-crossed after the heist. Now a free man with the names and addresses in hand, there is nothing on earth that can stop him from killing all of them. However, two people are in the hunt to stop him, veteran cop (Billy Bob Thornton) only days from retiring, and a young hit man (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), both on Driver's trail. The race is on, and there can be only one winner.

(My Comment) The story is simple and straight to the point, Driver wants revenge. Driver gets out of prison after 10 years, and he starts hunting down the criminals who were responsible for killing his brother. However, things get complicated when a hit man comes after him. Not only does he have to avoid the cops, but now he is also a target. Physically, the Rock is imposing in this film, but he only speaks about 2 dozen words in the whole movie. The Rock does not have much dialog, but his tough mannerisms and cold blooded killer facial expressions are enough. Billy Bob Thornton's performance as the sleazy cop is excellent. If you want to see an action packed revenge flick, this is a good one to see. (CBS Films, Run Time 1:35, Rated R)(8/10)

FASTER sees Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson returning to the fold of action cinema after wasting his time in dumb comedies and kiddie movies. This is a straightforward revenge saga about a man betrayed by a criminal gang who finally leaves prison and sets out on a path of vengeance. None of it is remotely surprising, but the story is handled with a certain amount of finesse and there's nary a dull moment along the way.

I've been a fan of The Rock since his days in THE MUMMY RETURNS and he acquits himself well with the material here, playing basically a brooding character who isn't much given to humour or dialogue. Supporting him is a typically kooky Billy Bob Thornton as a drug-addicted cop and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (WORLD WITHOUT END) as a dedicated hit-man. More briefly-seen cast members include Tom Berenger, Moon Bloodgood and Jennifer Carpenter, all of whom do well with the brief screen time they're allowed. Watch out for the opening song, a nice little shout out to the 1970s polizia sub-genre.

The problem with FASTER is that the material is rather light and there's not enough of it to fill out the running time; as a result, we get a lengthy and uninteresting sub-plot about the British hit-man and his relationship with TAKEN actress Maggie Grace. Jackson-Cohen is miscast and in any case the character is a waste of time who drags down the enjoyment factor whenever he appears. I had no idea what he was doing here but this sub-plot alone is enough to knock a couple of stars off the rating. Other than that, FASTER is enjoyable enough and has plenty of twists and action to keep you watching if not entirely satisfied.