Faster (7/10)

by Tony Medley

Run time 95 minutes.

Not for children.

The Rock is back! Former Miami football star (and also a professional wrestling star) Duane Johnson made his mark in the movies as action hero known as The Rock. Then I guess he decided he wanted to be an “actor,” so he became Duane Johnson and played in several light comedies. I liked them, but I was apparently in the minority, so now he returns in this testosterone-laden revenge action film and allows himself to be referred to as The Rock in ads.

Getting out of prison he immediately sets about to kill all the people involved in the caper that got his brother killed and him sent to prison. There are some nice twists as two cops, a drug-infested Billy Bob Thornton, and an attractive Carla Gugino, as well as a hit man, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, are all after Duane.

Johnson drives an early-70s Chevelle throughout the movie and it sounds a lot like the never-to-be-forgotten Mustang that Steve McQueen (and uncredited stunt driver Bud Elkins) drove in Bullitt (1968). Director George Tillman, Jr. even adds the revved up audio whenever Johnson (known only as “Driver” throughout the film) gets in the Chevelle. This makes it sound as if he’s driving 80 mph even if he’s just started up.

The only thing that disappointed me was that Johnson never did raise his one eyebrow, a move that has become classic for him.

Considering the genre, the performances are all very good, especially Johnson who has yet to disappoint me. I thought the story line, which includes a theme of moral renascence of forgiveness and redemption, was also elevated above what one generally gets in this type of film. Even so, it’s a film with quite a bit of violence that will probably appeal to guys a lot more than gals.