Faster

Film Review by Thom Atkinson | 24 Mar 2011
Film title: Faster
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Release date: 25 Mar
Certificate: 15

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has decided to ditch his recent demeaning, family friendly roles in favour of this retro revenge flick with a gritty 70s flavour. Johnson is ‘Driver’, a man fresh out of a ten-year prison stretch on the hunt for the men who set him up and killed his brother.

Armed with a six shooter and his black muscle car, God help anyone who stands in his way. Billy Bob Thornton’s ‘Cop’, a heroin addict with family problems, and Oliver Jackson-Cohen’s ‘Killer’, a rather dapper hitman, are the men out to stop him.

The rest are simply cannon fodder as within minutes of the films opening the action begins, stripped down to the essentials of car chases, gun fights and the old message of redemption. What this has over other action fare is that all the main players have the ability to emote; say what you like about Johnson, he has enough presence and charisma to make this old vehicle purr. [Thom Atkinson]