Release Date: 25 Feb 2011
Run Time: 104 minutes
Origin: USA
Mimi's Rating: 3 skulls out of 5
"Between now and then, I'm gonna fuck you up."
Drive Angry has it all: satanic cults, physics-defying car crashes, an over-the-top badass protagonist, loads of slo-mo action, gratuitous nudity, and muscle cars. You'll either be hooting at its cheesy grindhouse style or rolling your eyes in annoyance. For me, this was an enjoyable little revenge flick that (mostly) maintains its momentum until the end.
The plot follows John Milton (Nic Cage), who has escaped Hell to save his baby granddaughter from a satanic cult who are intent on bringing about Hell on Earth. They are also guilty of killing Milton's daughter during the time he was "locked up". Milton stops at a diner in Colorado to interrogate cultists. He meets Piper Lee (Amber Heard), and comes to when he comes to her aid in a fight against her cheating boyfriend (who vaguely resembles Stone Cold Steve Austin); the two begin travelling together toward Milton's destination in Piper's ex-boyfriend's Dodge Charger. During their hunt for cultists, Milton discovers that Piper is a surprisingly helpful ally. We also learn that in pursuit of Milton is a servant of Satan known as The Accountant (William Fichtner).
Milton is the classic Cage badass type, but he plays the role more subdued than the manic performance you might expect from Cage in a movie like this. I like this choice as it juxtaposes the character against all the insanity around him. Amber Heard as Piper adds some campy fun to the film and has some memorable one-liners. I appreciated that their relationship never took a turn towards the romantic and they remain as friends/ass-kicking partners.
On the antagonist side, we have Billy Burke as the leader of the Satanic Cult and William Fichtner as The Accountant tasked with returning Milton to Hell. Burke is as good as the evil cult leader and hits the right level of menacing and disgusting, but Fichtner is the standout in this one. He's having a blast, and it shows. His performance, down to every mannerism, brings the character to life and is one of the most memorable things in the film.
The rest of the cast is well-rounded, with many memorable character actors and familiar faces like Tom Atkins and David Morse.
Now, Drive Angry is full of insane action set pieces, but the one we get when Milton and Piper stay at a seedy motel is my favourite. This sequence involves Milton, who is having sex with a local waitress while he remains fully clothed. ("I never disrobe before a gunfight," Milton quips) having a slo-mo gunfight with cultists. At the same time, he drinks whiskey straight from the bottle and smokes a cigar. Oh, and he's also wearing sunglasses. Did I mention all this happens while he is still actively having sex with the waitress? This is the level of craziness you can expect from Drive Angry.
On the technical side, some of the CGI used could be better. It does resemble a PS2 game at times. Especially the CGI-heavy shots that bookend the film. This was shot in 3D, and boy, does it show. Expect lots of CGI objects to be flying at you. I wish the movie had used real blood splatter effects instead of computer-generated ones. Still, I admit they do fit the style of the film, at least.
So, if the idea of a positively over-the-top grindhouse-style chase movie intrigues you, give Drive Angry a spin. I mean, Milton even has a gun called the Godkiller stolen from Satan. Tom Atkins shows up for a hot minute and shoots a big firearm while screaming, "Ahhh!" and Amber Heard punches so many people I lost count. Gather a bunch of like-minded friends and enjoy the madness.
Why you should watch:
You like "badass" Nic Cage roles.
You like slo-mo action scenes.
The gore effects are well done (aside from the CGI blood splatter).
The Accountant steals the show.
Why you shouldn't watch:
You're not a fan of Amber Heard.
You want a more manic Cage performance.
Dated CGI bothers you.
Ridiculous action is not your thing.