briskhound2
Regular
411 messages
joined Mar 2009
Alright, heads up... this one’s gonna be long and hard... if you aren't in the mood for a deep dive, just skip it.
Dwayne Johnson really hit the jackpot with his career—the guy is just genuinely likable, one of those actors who can slide into pretty much any genre without looking weird. Though, he figured that out a little late and spent some recent years churning out total garbage (if I can call it that) aimed at the more... mature crowd. Last year, he decided it was finally time to actually break someone's face again. For that, he picked Speed, a legit kick-ass flick that definitely makes up for the nonsense like Tooth Fairy. Billy Bob Thornton is back being his usual self, we've got the gorgeous Carla Gugino (hey, age is just a number, right?), there's actual grit, better shootouts, and even the soundtrack isn't half bad. You need more than that? Go watch something else.
The movie hits you right in the head from minute one—Dwayne rolls out of prison, walks up to this high-octane four-wheeled beast, takes it for a spin, ducks into some office, and KA-BOOM, some pale dude who looks terrified of his own shadow ends up dead with a ventilated skull! And that's just the kickoff. Right then, you realize this is going to be one hell of a ride. Mind you, Speed isn't quite what a lot of people might expect based on the trailer (which screams pure action), but it doesn't disappoint because of that.
Revenge flicks never go out of style; it's all about how you execute them. Once the real story behind why The Rock is doing what he's doing comes out, you can tell they were definitely trying to play to the crowd, but our hero is framed as someone who had ten years of isolation in some Small town in Ohio to sit around and think things through—even if he still acts like a total kamikaze. Questions about morality, forgiveness, and stuff like that pop up throughout, but don't worry, it's just background noise that fits the flow perfectly. What works best is honestly just Dwayne. He's a tornado, a hurricane, an unstoppable force that doesn't just burn bridges behind him but levels them with way too much C4 (metaphorically speaking) and, best of all, he is absolutely perfect in this role. After all that fluff in family comedies, Dwayne is clearly having the time of his life smashing people. And killing. Of course, it depends on your vibe, but if you dig the whole "two plus two equals death," heavy weaponry, and intense fights... this movie is soul food.
It might actually surprise you that Dwayne did a bit of acting—not a ton, mind you, but those scenes that require a shred of emotion are handled well. A little substance in the rough material. Even though the reason for the revenge is designed to make the audience feel for him, the focus smartly shifts to the hitman dealing with his own mess, and then there's Billy Bob with his own set of issues, mostly family stuff. Three sides, three characters, one shared plot. All the way to the end. It's smooth, with a twist at the finish (a little predictable, let's be honest) and that good old-fashioned structure that modern movies seem to run away from like the devil. Makes you wonder if Hollywood still has a fighting chance, doesn't it?
