Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Faster Blu-ray Movie Review

Fast! Add this one to the Blu-ray collection.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman February 14, 2011

God can't save you from me.

Revenge isn't a dish best served cold, it's a dish best served up by The Rock. Faster is the latest from the musclebound wrestler-turned-Action star, and it's a fast, no-nonsense, hard-hitting Action flick that's almost all about payback, justice, big guns, fast cars, pumped muscles, and relentless mayhem. The film opens with a shot of The Rock's voluminous chest; it's no surprise, then, what's to follow, but Faster proves to be more than an everyday slick Action vehicle. A mindless entertainment façade is counterbalanced by involved and rather complex characters, at least for a movie like this, which gives Faster a substance so often missing from the everyday sort of enjoyable but ultimately unfulfilling Action fare that's exciting while it's on but absolutely forgettable once the film draws to an end. Faster isn't some sort of cinematic revelation, but it's better than movies like this generally tend to be; it's smart for an Action picture, it's characters are well-developed, and while there aren't any real plot surprises, there is the surprise of a movie that takes itself and its audience a bit more seriously than most. Faster definitely delivers plenty of bang for the buck, not only in its big action scenes and strings of hard-hitting violence, but in its sincerity in trying to build a better Action movie.

Driver driving.

"Driver" (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, The Other Guys) has just been released from prison after 10 years in the joint for his part in a daring bank robbery. He picks up a car, a hitlist, and a gun, and sets out to take revenge on the people who were involved in the killing of his brother following the robbery. While Driver is piecing together the bloody final moments before his brother's death and his incarceration, an on-the-edge and close-to-retirement cop (Billy Bob Thornton, The Informers) finds himself on the case of Driver's first killing. Meanwhile, a professional hitman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) who only wants to settle down and start a family with his girlfriend (Maggie Grace) has been hired to take out Driver at all costs before he reaches the end of his list. With the lead flying and Driver crossing names off his list with every bloody encounter, both the cop and the hitman close in on Driver and come closer to realizing their own destinies.

Stylistically, Faster is a throwback Action movie; it's as dark and gritty as the best 70s revenge flicks, and it's as loud and powerful as the finest 1980s fare. It's a nonstop thrill ride that's unafraid of big guns, high stakes, intense shootouts, slick driving, and relentless pacing, all typical Action hallmarks that, while the core of any genre movie worth its weight in muscle and lead, does leave something to be desired after the 500th time seeing the same movie only with different stars and altered locations. Fortunately, Faster has more to offer beyond the typical run-and-gun fare that's generally the singular focus of the typical genre picture. Director George Tillman, Jr.'s (Notorious) film manages to find an emotional center and thematic core, the likes of which are rarities in the world adrenaline-charged action, while also demonstrating wonderful balance between quality of story, depth of characters, visual mood, and strength of action. Tillman's picture is superbly crafted from top to bottom; his eye for a gritty, dark, and unforgiving tone is at the center of the film's visual style, which meshes nicely with a primary character roster that's anything but of the cardboard cutout variety. The characters of Faster are complex rather than one-dimensional, a critical factor in elevating this Action movie from the typical brainless run-and-gun variety. Tillman makes the movie a personal journey, one with no real heroes or villains but nevertheless one audiences can relate to not only through the dark world of violence and revenge but in the very real characters that populate it, all of whom are in many ways flawed but only some fundamentally so. Faster is more than a black-and-white picture in terms of its thematic center; it's a structurally complex and immensely satisfying journey of one man's quest for revenge and the shape his life takes along the way while also doing more than is necessary to make a movie that also works on a base level with plenty of high-octane action and stylistically gritty violence on hand.

Not only does Faster deliver a story with more character than the typical Action movie, it seems poised to serve as a right-of-passage sort of movie for its star. Indeed, The Rock proves his worth in Faster as an Action star ready for a serious breakout from midlevel Action films to pictures with serious potential to redefine the genre, much as was the case with any number of Arnold Schwarzenegger pictures from the 1980s. The Rock seems well on his way to becoming the next Arnold Schwarzenegger; while the quality of his projects have yet to reach the levels of films like Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, and Predator, The Rock's acting chops just might be superior to those of the 1980s biggest Action icon, and his physical stature is almost as intimidating. Faster seems like the perfect transitional movie for The Rock, a film that allows him to showcase not just his physical dominance but his ability to turn in a performance of greater complexity than what most Action movies only require -- to merely pump up before each shot and menacingly fire a gun.

Faster Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Faster's 1080p transfer is spectacular. This is fairly gritty and dark picture, but Sony's Blu-ray image handles the material with ease. Detail is superb, some of the best around; close-ups of faces reveal every pore, line, and bead of sweat, while pavement, clothing, dingy prison walls, and anything and everything, really, seen in-frame is textured to filmic perfection. Colors are a bit toned down by nature but the transfer delivers every shade with unsurpassed ease and precision. Even blacks, which are critical to the film's visual structure, are pitch-perfect in shading, proving to be inky and accurate without ever crushing out fine details. Flesh tones, too, are well-balanced. This is a fairly grainy image, but it's also very crisp and clean. Depth is quite good for a traditional 2D image, and the transfer yields a continuously breathtaking cinematic texture. Sony is known for superior transfers, but this one tops even most of the studio's finest efforts.

Faster Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Faster opens inside a prison where heavy footsteps and rattling chains bounce around the soundstage in a wonderfully dark and gloomy cadence. Surrounds are used to full effect, and while the sound might be a little exaggerated for the sake of the movie, it's still an invigorating listen that's only the tip of the iceberg of Sony's marvelous DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Faster offers up a killer listen, one that's the perfect companion to a hard, gritty movie like this. The track has a massive feel to it; it's deep, penetrating, and powerful, but also infinitely clear and wonderfully satisfying across the entire range. There's power galore and energy to spare here; whether the low rumblings of an American hotrod's engine or the incredible booms of Driver's Ruger Alaskan revolver, the track hits hard and often and never relents. Directional effects and imaging are superb. Gunfire is potent, splattering gore sounds magnificent, and the impact of bullets slamming into various surfaces is astonishing; listeners will feel the need to dive for cover and, when the movie ends and the lights come up, wonder why there are no bullet holes scattered around the living room. Of course, dialogue is perfect, too. Faster delivers a potent listen; this is one for the top of the charts.

Faster Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Faster comes up a bit short of the amount of extra content the film deserves. Notably absent is an audio commentary track.

• Alternate Ending (1080p, 12:42): Includes an optional director's introduction.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 10:50): Cop & Marina Outside Safe House, Killer Take a Picture (Director's introduction not available), Lily Helps Killer, Cop Takes Care of Marina, and Marina & Lily.
• Criminals and Cops: The Cast of Faster (1080p, 12:12): A decent making-of piece that covers the film's themes and differences from general Action movies, The Rock's return to the genre, the stories of the additional characters, and the work of the complimentary cast.
• Weapons and Wheels: The Guns, Cars, and Stunts of Faster (1080p, 11:54): As described, a look at the guns, cars, and stunts as seen in the film.
• Animatics (1080p, 12:22): Bank Heist, Old Man, Hospital, and Joust.
• Previews: Additional Sony Titles.
• MovieIQ.
• BD-Live.

Faster Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Faster is a surprisingly excellent Action picture that's more than muscles and guns, not that there's anything at all wrong with muscles and guns Action movies done right. Faster builds complex characters from a structurally simple plot and dares to do more than merely jump from one action scene to the next. The journey of each of the three primary characters is satisfying and a welcome addition to the typical Action movie structure. Here's hoping for more good things from Director George Tillman, Jr. in the near future. Sony's Blu-ray release of Faster earns a perfect rating for video and audio, but the disc comes up short in terms of extra content. Nevertheless, this one comes highly recommended.