Review of Faster (2010) by Clintus M — 15 Nov 2011

Faster marks the return of Dwayne Johnson to action films, and he is all action and practically no talk throughout. He displays a gritty intensity, may be the most singularly focused character in memory. This film is a return to the film noir genre replete with hidden agendas and thirsts for revenge. It's a B-movie with bigger names, much like Mel Gibson's recent Edge of Darkness. As for the rest of the cast, Gugino and Thornton actually act, and I also liked Maggie Grace (Taken and TV's Lost) and the actor playing the Evangelist.

Sure, some subplots and characters don't add up, but the action and story are enjoyable anyway. I frankly was surprised by the final twist, although it seemed preposterous and forced. I've read some of the criticism of this movie, and it may come down to this: which Dwayne Johnson do you prefer? Did you like The Tooth Fairy or Walking Tall/The Rundown more? How about Gridiron Gang, somewhere between the others? I think he performs admirably in the Stallone/Schwarzenegger mold. This is not Shakespeare but a more than decent action/revenge flick.