Director: Scott Waugh
Talent: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Dakota Johnson
Release Date: 12th March 2014
You might not know it, but the Need for Speed video game franchise already has several movies under its belt. Throughout its 20 year history, NFS has often presented the player funny (and insane) full motion video sequences to justify its racing action. The best of these sequences are found in 2005’s Most Wanted, which sees the player rise up the street-racing ranks of Rockport City in spite of the best efforts of Razor Callahan, a straight dope street-racing rival who thinks that you’re just another bolt-on wonderboy looking to get smoked. Sadly, this big-screen adaptation of Need for Speed chooses not to take its story cues from its video game counterpart, ignoring the deep lore of cities Rockport, Olympic and Motor in favour of the tried and tested tale of a blue collar boy turned street-racing ace.
After some unpleasant widescreen explosive business goes down, Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) has a score to settle with his long-time (racing- and love-) rival Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper). Naturally, the duo take their fight to the streets and embark on a cross-country race to take part in another, secret race organized by (insane mode) Michael Keaton. Marshall is aided on his journey by his hometown pit crew and Julia (Imogen Poots), an English car-dealer that ends up Tobey’s co-driver. Along the way Dino employs all manner of snares and set-backs to thwart Tobey, however, Dino doesn’t count on the fact that Tobey is an excellent driver, a better driver than Dino even, and everyone knows it!
Cooper’s Dino is a poor stand-in for Callahan, coming off as kind of wimpy and not at all comfortable behind the wheel of a car. Paul, on the other hand, is surprisingly soulful in his portrayal of Tobey: he elevates what is on the face of things a throwaway cash-grab into something extremely enjoyable, and dare I say, good. You’ll root for Tobey and delight in the high-speed spectacle on show here. NFS is a movie that against all odds gets through on the strength of its performances. Four-wheeled fun.
Luke Maxwell
