Mar 22, 2014 08:22 AM
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There have been many movies made on cars, Gone in 60 Seconds and the Fast and Furious Franchise being the first that come to mind. However even they were eventually more about the actors and the story than about the vehicles. And that is where Need for Speed(NFS) comes in.
Most of us would be familiar with NFS from the video game franchise that is a behemoth is the racing game genre. It has been with us for over two decades and with countless titles like Underground, Hot Pursuit, Most Wanted etc. most children have played it at least once.
NFS the movie feels like the video game brought to life. Is that a good or a bad thing? For some, it is an excellent thing. For others, it is plain and simply, boring.
Make no mistake, NFS is a movie for anyone who is a car enthusiast, a video game lover and who loves the sights and sounds of crazy hypercar exotica tearing around country roads and the highway. To this, NFS delivers.
The cars are the stars in NFS. Any car lover would drool over the array of exotica which is shown in the movie. Need I begin to list them down? Actually, I shall. Bugatti Veyron SuperSport, Koenigsegg Agera R(3 of them!), McLaren P1, Lamborghini Sesto Elemento, 900hp Shelby Mustang, Saleen S7, McLaren Mercedes SLR Roadster. The emphasis and camera work that goes onto these cars is top notch. They are always the focus. A simple example is when a Maserati Quattroporte drives into a large mansion. In any other movie, they would make it a wide panning shot. Here they follow the gorgeous back of the car as it drives up the driveway, and you can hear every pop and crackle from the exhaust.
Which brings me to the sounds. Oh God. This is truly orgasmic for petrol heads. I throught Rush, which came out recently, had the best examples of engine and exhaust noises of cars being raced in anger. Well, NFS blows it out of the water. You can tell how much they loved to show the cars in action, and the sounds of the engines adds a huge amount to the racing experience. During the races, there is minimum background music playing. All you hear are engines and exhausts as the cars race through tunnels, forests on the freeway etc. God, it sounds good.
So where the appeal for the video games fans. Simply put, NFS takes all the great elements from the gaming franchise and adds them in here. It's like the video games are brought to life. Police Helicopters tracking you down like Most Wanted. Check. Cop Car chases where they try and ram your car to take you out? Check. Lots of car destruction. Check. Terrible story and acting. Check that too.
Which brings me to why NFS will only appeal to those demographics as listed above. Because like the Video Games that spawned it, the story and plot is clunky and nonexistent. I shall not bother listing it because it is ludicrous and there are so many plot holes, it could sink the Titanic. There are all the sterotypical elements, many inspired by the F&F franchise. Innocent Great Driver not yet made it to the big leagues, but has talent. Check. Girl who is uptight and falls for him after he drives her. Check. Person close to hero dying to give emotional impetus. Check.
But then, for me, I switch off during those parts. The parts which include the cars and racing cover almost half of the movies 2 hour run time, and makes it worth your while, if you are a car lover. My favourite racing sequences are:
The 3 Koenigsegg battle through the interstate
The 900hp Shelby Mustang being chased by cop cars and helicopters through the city
The race at the end, winner takes all, which has the holy grail of hypercars that I listed above, also accompanied, by more cop car chases!
So, how do I conclude this review. Well, here goes:
Movie Meant For: Car Lovers, NFS Game Lovers, Racing Fans, Kids
Movie Definitely Not Meant For: Anyone who wants a plot and story, Wives & Girlfriends
Best to Watch with: Friends who share a love for cars
Conclusion :
There have been good and bad car movies and car chases. NFS does not elevate the story to a new level, nor is it fully believable. But it is enjoyable, thoroughly so. Now, 12 hours later, I still have the scream from the Koenisgegg ringing in my ears.
