DRIVE (2011)

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

No thread for Drive yet or am I going blind?

I was pretty impressed by this. Refn's a very cool hand behind the camera. It's a very slow burn, with lots of long takes and carefully constructed camerawork.

The story is a fucking mess. Somehow it manages to get in the way of the action while at the same time being virtually non exsistnet. Which is a good trick if you can do it... But it doesn't really matter as this ones all about the style. Go see it, I'm guessing if you're a member here you'll like it.

[Mark Tolch Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mark Tolch]

It looks great. I enjoyed it while I was watching it, but afterwards...had very little to say about it. Refn is awesome, though, except for an annoying last name. :-)

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I really meant to see this in the theater, but nope, didn't happen. I will get it on Blu though, blind buy. Saw the trailer before whatever it was that I watched the other night and it got me thinking about the movie again.

I have nothing else to add. Sorry.

[Nolando Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nolando]

Will post my review as I freaking loved this movie.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Nicely done, Noland.

I still need to see it.

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

second, it's Refn providing commentary on such film violence, asking such questions as, “If it's okay to show your hero kicking someone's head in, with that action occurring just off-camera, why then should it be wrong to swing that camera around and show the audience what he's actually doing?” He may not be making such a clear point about audience complicity in such human but, rather, more of a statement about the unending depths of man's nature to violent activity.

Intersting take. I haven't seen any of Refn's other movies so have no idea as to how given he is to social subtext in his movies. Without the context of those films I took the violence just as a stylistic choice: slow burn, slow burn then BANG! red all over the place. It's effective I guess but the grauitiousness of it actually harmed the film I think. It's so over the top that at the screening I was at the audience was laughing. That would usually annoy me but in this case I think that may have been the response Refn was after. I'd love to see how the movie would play if those scenes were shot with a straight face rather than the nod and a wink approach Refn uses.

[Nolando Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nolando]

I see more of this similar use of violence in his Valhalla Rising and Pusher films. But, that said, I also laughed and said, "Awesome!" during the screening I was at.

[Randy G Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Randy G]

Sometimes laughter is because the extremity of the violence is so unexpected but there is a sly humour to much of the film as well. I loved it and will be watching it in the theatre again when it plays the campus theatre in town next weekend.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Digital Fix says this hits DVD/BD in January.

[The Silly Swede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Silly Swede]

I am going to the cinema to view this tonight. I shall post my thoughts here afterwards. Ian Jane looks forward to this already.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Yes I do. I want to know if it is up to your qualitatious standards or not.

[The Silly Swede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Silly Swede]

I have now returned from the cinema, despite massive fog which almost made me get lost. I really liked it. At first I felt the silent parts were a bit distracting, but soon I changed my mind and actually liked that aspect more and more. Ryan Gosling is a solid actor. He plays the part with the right tone I feel, and the plot, if nothing new, fits well with both him and the general feel of the film.

The level of violence was good. It made an impact when employed. The only thing I can say I wanted different would be a tad more of the driving scenes. Sort of like to show that he is a kick ass driver instead of it just being mentioned. But overall a very solid film.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I'm glad you didn't get lost and that you made it back alive to tell us about it.

I will blind buy this when it comes out. This is the committment I make to you, Swedish Joe.

[The Silly Swede Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Silly Swede]

Good for you! Ryan Gosling is almost as handsome as Micheal Dudikoff was in his prime. Though not as manly.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Few can claim to be as manly as the Chosen One.