DRIVE ANGRY 3D

DRIVE ANGRY 3D (2011)
US
Directed by Patrick Lussier

CAST:
Nicolas Cage - Milton
Amber Heard - Piper
Billy Burke - Jonah King

PLOT:
     Milton, a vengeful father, escapes from hell and chases after the men who killed his wife and kidnapped his daughter but the underworld doesn't want this and sends the Accountant after Milton to bring him back.

REVIEW:
     Where, oh where to begin this. Might as well be with Nicolas Cage. The man's track record for movies isn't the best. Hell, it's not even pretty most of the time as of late. But I'm not going to fault the man for picking movies that are more on the genre side of things. One of the things I'm thankful for is his not playing Superman a couple years back, even though the movie was a disappointment in and of itself even without Cage in it. His last really good movie he was in was Kick-Ass, which was just screw everything movie and it worked for that reason, because it didn't follow the rules. That's not to say that the movies he's in fail because of him, it's just that he doesn't pick the best roles for himself or studios get hold of the film and do their own editing on it which changes the film completely (such is what happened to Season of the Witch). So I do give Cage the benefit of the doubt due to this.

     I must say that Nicolas Cage is decent in this. It's not his best role, but it's one of his better ones he has had in awhile though, which really isn't saying much. One of the things that help out with this is that he doesn't have one of those freak out moments he usually has in movies thankfully, even though I could have done without some of his brooding. Billy Burke though does good with his role as Jonah King and outshines Cage every time he's on screen. His character is slime, and he plays it to the max where you actually can't wait to see his character get killed. The character of Jonah King is so sleazy that it just seems to ooze off the screen. Even though Nicolas Cage and Amber Heard are billed as the top actors, William Fitchner though just steals the movie as the Accountant. The man is just cool and has all the best lines in the movie. Fitchner is one of those actors who you see in a ton of movies but don't know his name but yet still manages to steal every scene. The man is just that good as he plays the character as someone who knows he's better than everyone, as he delivers every line with a dry sense of humor. 

     Director Patrick Lussier knows what type movie he was going from the start, and it shows as he knew where to set his shots and get the best possible use of the 3D cameras he's using. There's actual depth in scenes that are missing from post conversion 3D process that those processes will never be able to get correct. Yes there are the usual 3D standards such as weapons flying toward the screen and body parts as well of course, but it's the small things such as ash that flies by on screen and bugs whizzing by that add layers to the whole experience. Lussier has grown as a director from his last, and really terrible directing outing My Bloody Valentine thankfully.While the movie slows down in parts, it just gives the viewer time to catch a breathe before the next frenzy that is about to happen. While the story itself wasn't nothing special, and predictable for the most part, and has it's more than fair share of plot holes, such as why Amber Heard's Piper was so important, the actors more than made up for this shortfall in the movie thankfully. Ficthner especially as he just gives his lines with a calm viciousness and makes his character more than what was giving to him as the same can be said for Billy Burke.  

     Anyone who goes to see this should know that this is a pure grindhouse movie that would have felt at home in the 70's. It's mean, ugly, and brutal yet fun all the way through specially if you have a sense of humor and love stuff that doesn't follow rules. A good example of this is Fitchner's character likes to poke at open wounds, literally, while asking questions, and throughout those scenes I was giggling like a school girl just because it was nice to see this type of movie in a movie theater. By this I mean it wasn't a sequel, or a tamed and watered down horror movie for 13 year olds. Yes, it's tacky, crass and smutty. Yes, it has knees, hands and heads being blown off and flying toward the screen. Yet it's all in fun. No it's not a perfect movie, in fact it's a bad movie and it knows it is, and by doing so it elevates itself above it. It is a fun, ridiculous escape that was better than I though it would be and I'm quite happy I got to see it in theaters.

BEST DEATH:
     Vehicular homicide to multiple persons by a flying Chevrolet Chevelle.

BEST LINE:
     Carpenter. And contrary to popular belief, dislikes long hair.

FUN FACTS:
       Lussier's first directing job was on Wes Craven's Dracula 2000.

       The cars Cage's character Milton uses in the movie are a 1964 Buick Riviera, a 1969 Dodge Charger, and a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle.

     The movie was shot all in Louisiana.