Review of Initial D (2005) by Chris S — 09 Nov 2008

Everytime I watch this movie, I can't help but realize just how BAD of a movie it is. The editing is incredibly superfluous, being flashy and jerky for little reason other to maybe make the movie LOOK fast and exciting. It's like a Saw but with cars! The writing is cheesy, the dialogue lacking in some scenes and being overly melodramatic in others. The directors also make poor choices in presentation, which also includes the camerawork, editing, and choreography of the car chases.

So why give it a 6/10? Because it's good fun! The story introduced me to Initial D which I now love and the story, in places, is pretty decent for a racing movie. The acting redeems a lot of poor dialogue: Chapman To plays an arrogant highschool eerily well, Jay Chou shines as the movie progresses and shows more emotion, and Anthony Wong steals the show as Chou's drunken father, performed inebriated. Oh, Wong, you crazy method actor, you! The relationship between the man guy and girl is also really silly but it's cute and unintentionally hilarious.

So despite it being stupid, I still enjoy the ride. :D.