When I decided to rent Drive Angry from Netflix for a relaxing night of the old ultra-violence, I had no idea that this was a genre film. I was expecting an old style vengeance action flick and what I got was a Grindhouse-inspired supernatural action filk! If you like the recent Grindhouse influenced films by either Rodriguez or Tarantino, you will love director Patrick Lussier’s Drive Angry!
Give my ten reasons to “drive angry” a spin!
Ten – Nic Cage as Milton - the vengeance-filled father, who will stop at nothing to save his granddaughter from a Satanic Cult that plans to sacrifice her - doesn’t overact for a single frame of Drive Angry.
Nine – Tom Atkins as “Cap”, the veteran character actor, who makes all of his small role as an Oaky state police Captain who goes after Milton for killing two fellow officers.
Eight – Amber Heard as Piper, the woman Milton gets a ride from, who wears a pair of “kick ass” jean-shorts through the first twenty-two minutes of Drive Angry and spends the rest of the movie kicking the ass of every stupid male that underestimates the blond beauty.
Seven – William Fitchner as “The Accountant”, who plays the single-minded FBI Agent hunting down Milton with cool zestful humor and violence in Drive Angry.
Six – One of the most over-the-top shootouts ever, where Milton is surrounded in a hotel room by armed men, while he is having sex with a barmaid; Milton shoots all the men all while holding his pistol in one hand, a bottle of whiskey in the other and staying “engaged” with the barmaid throughout!
Five – Milton fires his “old gun” at the false FBI agent while they are driving on a bridge and the agent calmly sits in the seat of the stolen cop car while it flies over the side of the bridge and goes crashing to the ground!
Four – The awesome soundtrack by Composer Michael Wandmacher - who plays all the instruments that includes guitars, cello, electric cello, dulcimers, banjo, guitarviol, and piano - this score is nonstop action led by powerful guitar riffs, an impressive rhythm section and fits the angry violent mood of Drive Angry to perfection!
Three – A fantastic fight scene between Piper and Jonah King - the cult leader who has Milton’s granddaughter – in the back of a moving Winnebago, that climaxes in her jumping out the back window and landing on the hood of her car being driven by Milton!
Two – Delicious dialogue like this between Milton and Piper - Piper: Gimme one good reason I shouldn't shoot you in the face. Milton: I'm driving. Piper: You know what I mean!
One – The fact that this is a grindhouse-style supernatural action flick, that goes light on the exposition and heavy on the harm, honeys and hotrods!
That there is the best dang review ya ever writ, Doc! Ever since I put my feet back on ol' terra firma, I been spacin' out on man movies like Drive Angry, even though it ain't Sci-Fi! Keep 'em commin', Freak!
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