Review of Need for Speed (2014) by Harry W — 06 Mar 2015

Any genius can tell that a video game adaptation of a film has a low chance of success, but a racing film with Aaron Paul sounded definitely worthy of a viewing.

It is too easy for Need for Speed to fall into B movie territory, and while some scenes in the film at enjoyable, Need for Speed is rudimentary as a whole.

Building from the limitations it faces as adaptation of a popular video game series about racing, Need for Speed lacks the same fun of the video game series. While its racing sequences are awesome and boast the appeal of the more street-racing driven entries into the Fast and Furious film series which is all shot well and edited with only a few moments where the camerawork is shaky or the editing is a bit quick, the quantity of racing is insufficient. Need for Speed is a somewhat slow film which is ironic because it needs speed to be a better film. I guess the film title suggests that it has a need for speed which it simply cannot find, and it fails to back up it long 130 minute running time with sufficient entertainment elements to justify itself. Racing junkies can appreciate Need for Speed as well as those willing to suspend the disbelief of the insensible plot, but it simply wasn't enough for me. I will say that I was entertained by the racing, but the flaw rested in everything else.

The story in Need for Speed is ridiculous and is riddled with flaws in attempting to be realistic. I will say that this didn't bother me too much, but it's just poor writing. And the story tried to be a serious dramatic piece as well as an entertaining action flick, but it clearly tried too hard to be something that it wasn't. The entire story is way too predictable, and all the deaths, troubles and retributions in the themes as well as its obvious ending just didn't make it anything. The story is essentially like a mix of Smokey and the Bandit without its humour and The Fast and the Furious without a sufficient quantity of racing. It is more like the scenes in The Last Stand where the antagonist is racing to the Mexican border for 110 minutes with some dramatic elements forced in there and the racing scenes taking up the rest. Whatever appeal you may think is in that does not let it live up to the quality of either films, although it arguably surpasses the quality of the less effective entries into the series. It succeeds solely on its racing scenes which are entertaining enough and have a lot of exhilarating stunts on vibrant locations, but there just isn't enough of them. The writers spent more time plotting a senseless story and pathetically thinly sketches dialogue instead of a well paced action tale that didn't run for too long and had a humourous touch beneath its thin story. Need for Speed was not the case.

Considering the low standards of film adaptations into video games, Need for Speed surpasses the quality of many such as Tekken, Super Mario Bros. and Hitman combined, but that's largely because it has nothing to build from its source material except a lot of racing. It doesn't have as much as you'd hope, but it has some good quality racing. Unfortunately, it's smothered beneath director Scott Waugh's inability to realise what is important in his film. As he proved previously in Act of Valour, he can deliver some good action but not enough of it, as well as struggling to find a sensible plot or script. And in his own self-indulgence, he even advertises a DVD copy of Act of Valour in the film. I'm not too bothered by it, but it's rather shameless self-promotion, even if it is just or a second. His former profession as a stunt performer benefits Need for Speed, but his role as director doesn't all that much.

And the cast really do not have surprises in them.

Any nameless nobody could have been cast in the lead role of Tobey Marshall, but since the role was given to Aaron Paul, many viewers should find themselves pleased with the decision to cast the award winning actor from Breaking Bad in a mainstream big budget film. Unfortunately, it is a little too good to be true. While Aaron Paul does a decent job and projects his emotions well through his physicality some of the time, but it seems like director Scott Waugh told him to tone down his performance as not to have it be considered too similar to the role of Jesse Pinkman. Therefore Aaron Paul has to hold himself back, so any viewers hoping to see Jesse Pinkman race will not get that from Need for Speed. His performance is flawed because he holds himself back and makes the character way too stoic to he real, and you can hear that he has toned down his voice to the point of it sounding like he is going through puberty and it has just broken. A talented actor like him needs better material and direction, and I don't believe that the problems in his performance were mainly his fault because I really think he would know better. I can tell you for sure that if Walter White saw this film, he would stare at Aaron Paul and say "Get back to work, Jesse". He would have been better in the role of Dino Brewster because considering how he proved in Breaking Bad he can play an aggressive figure well, he would have played the part better, and arguably much better than the weak and generic job that Dominic Cooper gave to it. His performance is forgettable, and although Aaron Paul's is not his best, his presence should please a lot of people. I guess I would give his performance a mixed response and say that at best, it is good for the film to hold his name as a lead and he shows promise. He just proves to be held back by other inexperience filmmakers.

And Imogen Poots is a decent addition to the cast. Granted she isn't incredible, but she delivers her lines with ease and has a certain charm to her which she brings to the role. Her chemistry with Aaron Paul is decent as well without being great.

And Michael Keaton has a certain charisma to him. While he is stuck with the most cringe-worthy lines of the script which give him no credibility and nothing to give audiences a chuckle, he is one of the better and more experienced cast members in Need for Speed and establishes a sense of nostalgia for the film.

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast are nothing but a bunch of lifeless generic faces, and the one actor who tries to stand out is very unfunny and formulaic who only makes audiences miss Tyrese Gibson. The actor is Scott Mescudi. Never heard of him? I'm not surprised.

So while Need for Speed benefits from Aaron Paul's presence and some great race scenes that use stunts instead of visuals, the quantity of racing fails to make up for the weak plotting, poor script and length of the film.