 For a B-movie, this is actually a pretty cool movie. It's amazing that a film which owes so much to Rush Hour predates it by about a year. Mark Dacascos (The Crow: Stairway to Heaven) plays Toby Wong, a man with a bio-engine implanted in his chest. The device amplifies his strength, speed, and agility, allowing him to run around, kick the crap out of people, and jump out of windows. He's on the run from the Leung Corporation, the people who implanted the device inside him, and trying to get to L.A. in order to sell the device to another corporation for $5 million. In order to escape the Leung goons and the cops, he kidnaps out-of-work songwriter Malik Brody (Kadeem Hardison), and forces his captive to drive him to L.A. (hence the title) for the money, which he'll split with him. This leads into some of the most impressive fighting and stunt sequences I've seen from anyone other than Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Michelle Yeoh, and Jet Li. Of particular note is the construction site scene where Toby and Malik are chained together at the wrist and have to fight their away past a group of armed mercenaries. It's very well-choreographed. The main characters get along pretty well. A little more could be given in the way of development, but they can't all be like Lethl Weapon, huh? The only really horrible aspect of the film was Brittany Murphy (Clueless, Sister Sister) as a spaced-out motel owner. God, she was awful, but at least there was a fight scene to take our minds off of her. The final fight scene sees Toby in combat against a combatant with an advanced model of the bio-engine. It's a cool scene, but the concept is typical of many martial arts movies of its type. Still, Drive is an enjoyable enough film. I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for some nicely choreographed violence (and a singing, dancing Mark Dacascos). About the author: Worship me! (at AmazinBoyS@aol.com) You may read another review, submit your own, or return home. |
