Review of Need for Speed (2014) by Ahnehnois — 14 Mar 2014

Honestly I had not heard of the video game on which this was based, but its origins don't surprise me. It is pretty much like watching a video game. Don't get me wrong; Aaron Paul is Aaron Paul, but his character is minimally developed and the supporting cast is mixed at best. The plot is one cliche after another, and it's hard to feel bad for the plucky sidekick who dies, or for the villain's wife who discovers she's the villain's wife, or even to hate the lamely villainous villain. Don't ask who the mysterious announcer who sets up illegal high-stakes drag racing is; the movie won't tell you much about who he is or how he gets away with it.

The movie somewhat inevitably cheapens the consequences of its action; people die or get injured only when it's convenient for the plot, despite frequent car crashes, and the only real collateral damage from all the mayhem is a homeless guy's cart that they all laugh about (despite the fact that they came a few feet from accidentally killing the guy and probably destroyed his only property). Hilarious. The hero's jail time is likewise scoffed at. That's why it's kind of hard to feel bad for the one guy who actually dies during all this drag racing; everyone is basically a psychopath but suddenly they care about this one twerp who got killed and feel the need to take revenge.

The movie's upside comes from the visuals of the 3D chases and the occasional mild laugh (this movie needed more of Rami Malek, as many movies do). The car chasing does look good. If that's all you want out of this movie, you'll be satisfied.