NEED FOR SPEED (5 out of 10) – Directed by Scott Waugh; written by George and John Gatins, based on the “Need for Speed” video game series; starring Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Scott Mescudi and Michael Keaton; rated PG-13; in general release, playing in either 2D or 3D; running time: 130 minutes.
In all fairness, you can probably blame the “Fast and Furious” movies for setting a bad example and precedent. After all, each film in that blockbuster series has gotten progressively longer. The last one clocked in at a luxurious 130 minutes, which was also the length of last year’s Oscar winning historical/biographical drama “12 Years a Slave.”
By that standard, perhaps “Need for Speed” deserves a little slack, even if it, too, has a much-longer-than-it-needs-to-be-or-deserves 130-minute running time. However, the auto racing action-thriller meanders so much and takes so long to get its character and situations where they’re going you’ll be tempted to call it “Need for Judicious Editing” instead.
That’s not to say it’s lacking in the entertainment department. There are quite a few moments, such as several thrilling, “how’d-they-do-that?” racing sequences, that keep it from being an outright. But, given that the film is based on a video game series, you do have to wonder if its intended audience – one with supposed attention-deficiency problems – will be able to sit that long without some sense of discontentment and discomfort.
Aaron Paul (“Breaking Bad’s” Jesse Pinkman) stars as Tobey Marshall, a semi-professional auto racer and garage owner who’s had a long-simmering feud with the spoiled-rich Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper), a fellow racer who’s not only taken some big races and paydays away from Tobey, he’s also stolen his girl, Anita (Dakota Johnson).
One thing Tobey does have in his favor, though is a dedicated crew, made up of his pals eyes in the sky Benny (Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi), his eyes in the sky, Finn (Rami Malek), a clever tech guy, the resourceful Joe (Ramon Rodriguez), and Little Pete (Harrison Gilbertson), an up-and-coming racer who also happens to be Anita’s younger brother.
However, their already heated rivalry takes an even-nastier turn when the conniving Dino cheats to win a street race – with a questionable move that also results in Little Pete’s tragic death. By the time the authorities arrive, Dino is nowhere to be seen. So the shocked and distraught Tobey is blamed and jailed for his protégé’s death instead.
Years later, he’s paroled from prison but is still seeking revenge. It appears the best way to do that is by beating Dino in an illegal, high-stakes street race that’s being organized and run by the mysterious Monarch (Michael Keaton). And Tobey does have a killer car for the race: a Shelby Mustang that he and his crew built. The car’s grateful British owners agree to let Tobey drive it, as long as he has their agent, Julia Madden (Imogen Poots), along for the ride.
Unfortunately, Tobey only has two days to get to San Francisco for the race. Worse, Dino has put a bounty on his unknowing rival’s head, to make sure he never reaches his destination.
Stuntman-turned-filmmaker Scott Waugh (“Act of Valor”) was a smart choice of director, in terms of the action scenes at least. He and veteran director of photography Shane Hurlbut keep the cameras at street-level, which gives audiences a front-row seat during the racing scenes, which are obviously the film’s selling point.
But he’s not able to do much with the idiotic script, which comes courtesy of first-timers scribes the Gatins brothers (George and John). Along with needless, ludicrous subplots, it’s gotten even-sillier dialogue and practically nonsensical characterizations. (For instance, why would Anita continue to stay with Dino after people blame him for the death of her brother?)
As for Paul, he’s all gravelly glowers as the film’s lead, while Cooper oozes so much smarm as his antagonist that he expect him to twirl his mustache for comic effect. Speaking of which, Poots (“That Awkward Moment”) deliberately exaggerates her already-broad accent, resulting in a curiously goofy performance that suggests she believes this is intended to be a live-action cartoon. Who knows, maybe she’s right in that regard.
Jeff Michael Vice can also be heard reviewing films, television programs, comics, books, music and other things as part of The Geek Show Podcast (www.thegeekshowpodcast.com), and can be seen reviewing films as part of Xfinity’s Big Movie Mouth-Off (www.facebook.com/BigMovieMouthOff).