Need for Speed is a straight up revenge tale; more in league with the
early F&F films before they shifted into heist gear. Directed by
ex-stuntman Scott Waugh and starring Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul, any
thought of plot complexity goes up like a puff of exhaust fumes within moments.
Paul plays badass racer Tobey Marshall, who with his close-knit crew of pals
(Rami Malek, Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi, Ramon Rodriguez, and Harrison
Gilbertson) run a floundering but respected body shop in town. When arrogant
ex-NASCAR tough guy Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) shows up in town with an
offer to rebuild a legendary ride, it's an offer Tobey can't resist.
Unfortunately it also leads to a showdown between the two, who share a past
beefin' over the same woman (Fifty Shades of Grey's Dakota Johnson). A
dangerous race in souped up cars leads to Dino killing the most earnest and
innocent of Tobey's friends, framing him for the accident.
Two years later and out on parole, Tobey is looking for vengeance, the kind
of vengeance that only comes from behind the wheel. The only way to do that is
to gather his remaining team, score the fastest car on the planet, and enter
the Deleon, a dangerous race for the world's best drivers. The race is put on
by recluse Monarch (Michael Keaton, kind of fun but clearly high on something),
who has a street racing podcast run out of his living room. Doesn't sound like
the type of guy to hold such amazing sway, but there ya go. Putting the old
crew back together is easy, topped off by a hilarious job quitting scene by
Malek, who after his scene-stealing performance in Short Term 12 is
becoming a terrific character actor. Finding a car proves to be no problem for
Tobey, either, thanks to Julia (Imogen Poots), the quirky English gal who
negotiated the deal for Dino and Tobey's hyped up car. Together they race
across the country to find the location of the big race, all the while avoiding
keystone cops and surviving mercenaries looking to cash in on the bounty Dino
has placed on Tobey's head.
You'll be shocked, no doubt, to learn that the relationship between Tobey
and Julia starts off antagonistic, only to give way to the flashing blinkers of
love. They're actually quite a fun pair, even if the role seems a step beneath
Poots. She's just feisty enough to match up nicely with the ever-intense Paul,
who makes for more an action lead than a romantic one. The real stand-out here
is Waugh, who co-directed the "real" military thriller Act of
Valor a couple of years ago. He's more in his element directing cars rather
than people, and he made the brilliant decision to use real cars, real
stuntmen, and real blazing speed in every action sequence. Don't bother looking
for any CGI because there isn't any, and it's a decision that adds a real
urgency and momentum to every jaw-dropping sequence. Keeping car chases and
smash 'em up collisions fresh is never easy but Waugh pulls it off easily. If Need
for Speed continues on as a franchise, not a sure thing just yet, Waugh
could prove to be as integral to it as any member of the cast. Need for Speed isn't going to change the negative perception of video game movies, which is fine because it doesn't seem to have any aspirations other than to be a dumb, fun action flick. It may be the less starry, less flashy cousin of F&F, but there's plenty of room for both to exist.
