Review of Drive Angry (2011) by Brett H — 31 Jan 2012

The film is one of those high octane, cheaply disposable early in the year actioners that you hardly remember even existed. While it tries to be a sort of high concept grindhouse movie, Drive Angry is too clumsily put together to evoke any sort of reaction other than deep sighs.

Say what you will about Michael Bay's garish Transformer movies - and yes, they're awful - but at least that man knows how to make his crap sparkle. The aesthetics directer Patrick Lussier brings to this vengeance thriller are just too awkwardly executed.

It's the cinematic equivalent of a man perpetually stumbling down the stairs, trying not to drop a vase. There's a fight on a moving RV that seems to last forever and serves no true purpose other than, hey, it's time for an action sequence.

And that's how the whole movie feels. It's a throwaway flick whose mean streak is too forced to be anything other than cheap. Sadly, this is the type of movie Nicolas Cage has been making far too often as of late.

Perhaps the film's title is in reference to what you will be doing after leaving the theater.