100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 105: Need For Speed

Director: Scott Waugh
Genre: Action/ Crime
Runtime: 131 minutes
Year: 2014
Starring: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Rami Malek, Dakota Johnson, Michael Keaton

Description: Fresh from prison, a street racer (Aaron Paul) who was framed by a wealthy business associate (Dominic Cooper) joins a cross country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins.

Review: Movies based on videogames don’t have a good reputation. When it’s a race game where the story barely even matters, the fans are skeptic. But “Need For Speed” has some tricks up its sleeve: a big budget, a talented cast and an ambitious director.
“Need For Speed” is based on the game with the same name, where the first part came out in 1994. The story is about Tobey Marshall, the owner of a garage and a talented street racer. When his garage has financial struggles, his arrogant rival Dino Brewster gets him to join an illegal street race, where the winner gets a large amount of money. The race ends up in disaster, when one of the cars makes a fatal crash. Dino gets out before he gets in trouble, but Tobey gets the blame for it. After two years of prison, he is determined to clear his name and take revenge on Dino.
Action movies like this don’t really need an intelligent plot or a surprising course of events. Beautiful cars and spectacular races and chases are enough. Director Waugh experimented with angles while filming those races: from the first person, from the sky, far away and up close. And he manages to make you feel that speed. And the stunts are real, no green screens. “Need For Speed” is visually very well done.
Aaron Paul does a good job and I really liked his chemistry with Imogen Poots. But the dialogue is so silly and clumsy sometimes. Michael Keaton is one of my favorites, but his role is a bit strange and I don’t know why he is in this film. His character seems unnecessary. And that strip scene by Rami Malek didn’t belong here either.
“Need For Speed” is filled with clichés, but this film does have something. The film never bored me, even though I have no connection with cars whatsoever. Maybe it was Aaron Paul…

Rating: 3/ 5