Review of Drive Angry (2011) by Sean C — 10 Sep 2011

I have to disagree with other reviewers here.

I really liked Nic Cage's earlier career. Films like Raising Arizona and Moonstruck marked him in my eyes as a great character actor.

But in 1997 he made Con Air and Face Off and it has been mostly down hill since then with some absolute stinkers - witness the steaming turd that was the remake of The Wicker Man - although his bank balance has benefited enormously from being type cast as a tough man.

Occasionally he makes a good film - Adaptation & Captain Correlis Mandolin the highlights - in an attempt at redemption.

And then along comes Drive Angry.

I saw this because it was just about the only thing worth watching on the box in the hotel I was staying in and I couldn't sleep.

I should have just turned the box off and stared at the ceiling.

It's a shame really because Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier's story - dead man escapes from hell to save his grandaughter from the evil clutches of satanic cult - had the makings of a really interesting film. Somehow however they have managed to turn a great idea into an outrageously over the top film that is thouroughly predictable from go to who and relies mainly on the efforts of the stunt crew and sfx artists to maintain interest in the flimsiest of plots.

At least Amber Heard has an, erm, attractive presence on screen.