Imagine if a Hollywood studio gave $50 million to a backwoods, beer-swiggin', metal lovin' country boy to direct an action event picture in 3D. If that were to happen, I'd imagine it would turn out somewhat like Drive Angry 3D.
Before I dig into the review, here's a brief overview; A mysterious man named Milton (Nicolas Cage) has broken free from the constraints of Hell itself. On a bloody quest for vengeance against those who killed his daughter, Milton rescues Piper (Amber Heard), a young woman in need of a cause. Together, they hit the road in a race against time to save Milton's granddaughter from being sacrificed by the very same Satanic cult that murdered his daughter.
If that synopsis doesn't have you crazy with excitement, then this is absolutely not the film for you. Drive Angry is profane, ridiculous, offensive and altogether bloody excellent. This is a film for the audience that will laugh hysterically at the line, "I will kill you Piper, then I will defile your corpse" or for the crowd that thinks drinking beer out of a skull is bad-ass. In it's lean 104 minutes, you won't find a shred of true cinematic drama, tension or quality. But make no mistake, this is no pile of trash. Well, alright, it's trashy, but not trash. The beauty of Drive Angry is that it knows exactly what it is; a madcap, violent, exploitation throwback.
I take it if you're interested in seeing the flick, you're in someway a fan of Nicolas Cage. And if I'm right, you'll be happy to know he's turned in yet another killer performance. With a new wig and a bad attitude, he brings Milton to glorious, vengeful life. He's a hero you'll want to cheer for from the opening frame to the closing credits. Milton, quite simply, rules. Amber Heard also gives it her best and provides the film with a bit of heart. William Fichtner steals your attention in each of his scenes as the Devil's right hand man, The Accountant. What's so great about his character is that when Cage and Fichtner share a scene, you're stuck with the dilemma of who to love more. Both actors seem to have had so much fun in their roles, it can't help but rub off on the audience.
What standard is the 3D? Excellent, actually. For the first time (which isn't a great sign for the so-called "future of cinema"), I actually jumped at the 3D theatrics on display. Drive Angry throws everything at you; bullets, breasts, fire, cars, blood, etc. It's the type of film 3D lends itself very well to, and director Patrick Lussier knows exactly how to utilize the three dimensional tool. In short, it adds to the experience, not detract.
From the amount of advertising on TV, in cinemas, in magazines and newspapers, I gather you've already decided whether this is your type of film or not. If you're looking for fun, this is damn good time. But if fun just isn't enough for you, give it a skip. But like a wise friend once told me, "Movies don't have to have a deep, philosophical meaning...as long as it's got buckets of blood and a leggy blonde, it's a winner".
