Faster
Director: George Tillman Jr.
Writer: Tony Gayton, Joe Gayton
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Maggie Grace, Xander Berkeley, Tom Berenger, Matt Gerald, Mike Epps, Moon Bloodgood, Jennifer Carpenter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Seen on: 31.5.2021

Plot:
The Driver (Dwayne Johnson) spent ten years in prison after a bank robbery, but now he is finally being released – and he has people to go after. He immediately goes for it, too. Leaving the investigating detectives (Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino) puzzling over his motives. Meanwhile, a bored billionaire and killer-for-hire (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) is sent after the Driver as well. The Driver doesn’t have much time to finish his business.

Faster was probably the worst Dwayne Johnson film I ever saw. I mean, usually his films are, if not exactly good, at least entertaining all the way. But this one was just dreary and trying way too hard.

There are two major flaws with Faster. The first is the plot that is just way too predictable. Everything about it, pretty much, except maybe that the Driver and his “bro” (Matt Gerald) are actually, literally brothers. But other than that, we know how things are going to play out here. Which wouldn’t have been that much of an issue if the film hadn’t tried so damn had to keep us in the dark about certain things. You will never guess why he does this, or what’s behind that, or what happens next, and everytime you guessed ten minutes earlier already.

The second flaw is that the film doesn’t simply focus on the Driver (and doesn’t let Dwayne Johnson crack a joke every once in a while). Instead our attention is constantly divided between him, the Killer, and the Cop. And the Killer is completely unnecessary for the story and just got on my nerves, while the Cop is an unlikeable cliché that the film expects me to somehow root for regardless.

There are a couple of moments here – when the Driver visits the Woman (Jennifer Carpenter), Johnson and Carpenter have excellent chemistry and it’s a truly emotional moment for both of them. Or when the Driver goes to find the Evangelist (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), there exchange rings true in a script that otherwise often feels sanctimonious and overbearing. Also, I’m pretty sure that car people will see nice cars in the film here, but I wouldn’t know myself.

But overall, the film mostly had me rolling my eyes, at least when I wasn’t a bit bored. There are definitely better options out there for your (or my) next action fix.

Summarizing: not really worth it.