Read Mixed User Reviews for Faster (2010)

6

grandpajoe6191Sep 24, 2011

The movie is overall bearable to stand for itself, but the Johnson action and a understandable morale of redemption makes the movie worth to watch.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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6

StevenFSep 8, 2013

Faster is an interesting piece indeed, it has the rumblings of a B movie with its non-stop destruction and hell bent on revenge, but on the other hand we have some sublime performances from various avenues of the screen, coming together inFaster is an interesting piece indeed, it has the rumblings of a B movie with its non-stop destruction and hell bent on revenge, but on the other hand we have some sublime performances from various avenues of the screen, coming together in this mash-up of films from the past, it has hints of noir, but is ultimately a one-trick path of vengeance that is devoid of anything other than cold-blooded murder and scowling faces. We have Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in a role that most suits him, he has definitely showed diversity, sometimes perhaps too much, but there is just something different with this character, he plays a convict who we simply know as "Driver" a broken and quiet man on a mission as soon as he gets released, he paces frantically from the prison where he climbs into an empty car waiting for him, he climbs in without a word and speeds off to an office space, where he shoots a man in the head and leaves, it's as simple but as brutal as that, he is a one man wrecking crew, but with good reason it seems. He is on a path to kill those who killed his brother in the most brutal of circumstances, and on his tail is "Cop" played by Billy Bob Thornton, this cop is close to retirement, but has a drug problem and a broken down marriage with a son involved, but is more involved than first glances would suggest. Also along the way is a hired "Killer" (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) who is an impressive specimen and a man who has done it all, consistently looking for challenges to save himself from boredom, he has a past that we learn through pictures he gazes at, a past that he may be trying his best to forget. He finds happiness with his girlfriend Lily (Maggie Grace) who questions his job choices but is ultimately committed to him. While Faster offers up some interesting characters, it isn't developed enough for it to properly stretch out, it could have properly developed its backstory which could have benefited an often closed and passing explanation for this mans actions, it therefore becomes a simple shoot and run with a few moments that show quality filmmaking, but not consistent. The performances alone keeping the film moving at a raging pace, with The Rock showing depth to character and proving he isn't all black and white. The film throws up some interesting twists and unexpected developments, they make it a satisfying film to enjoy, but don't offer much in terms of thought or drama, it is an adrenaline and testosterone-fuelled rampage that is is perfect for sitting down to relax, with a few starring performances worth applauding.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

ShiiraNov 26, 2010

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Contortionist Formerly Known as The Rock, the former WWF wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson, hasn't starred in a violent actioneer such as "Faster" since "Walking Tall", the 2004 remake of the 1973 Phil Karson-directed original, choosing instead to appear in star vehicles calculated to soften his image as a bad-ass. And even then, Johnson stayed away from guns; his character, Chris Vaughn, a former U.S. soldier, carried around a 4 X 4 slab of wood to settle his conflicts. The plan worked; he's not Jean-Claude Van Damme, who(like Johnson) started off in the athletic arena(kickboxing), but soon experienced a wane in popularity, partly because he couldn't act, even though that never stopped an Austrian-born bodybuilder from superstardom and the governorship of California. Both Johnson and Arnold Schwarzenegger were smart enough to ham it up, deconstructing their machismo by emasculating themselves in kid-friendly projects such as "The Game Plan" and "Kindergarten Cop", while Van Damme and Steven Segall kept making the same mirthless movie over and over again, ad nauseam. While neither man are particularly gifted as comic actors, in which the laughter they generate largely stems from the incongruity between their body type and feminine actions(for Ahh-nold, think "Twins"), they have enough charisma to make you THINK they're funny. Actually, that's no small feat. Remember Vin Diesel in "The Pacifier"? Would Van Damme, given the opportunity to star in a game-changing film like "The Tooth Fairy", add or detract from the spectacle of being costumed in a pink tutu and tights? Probably detract, so give Johnson his due; he pulls off the tooth fairy get-up with only a minimal amount of creepiness. Now, after capturing the hearts and minds of children, and more importantly, their moms(even going so far as doing a cameo in Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married Too?"), Johnson puts down the wand and picks up a gun and kills people for the first time in a long time. It's time to bring the men back into his fold. Playing an ex-con named Driver, The Contortionist Formerly Known as The Rock goes on a bloody rampage, killing the people responsible for murdering his brother after a successful robbery. Rest assured, the people he shoots in the forehead deserves their bloody comeuppance. Johnson isn't going to put his screen image at risk by killing the innocent, although it's open for debate as to who had it coming and who is worthy of a pardon. After all, ten years is a long time. People can change, not all people, mind you, like the second name on Driver's list, a rapist who preys on young women, a person in which nobody mourns when he ends up on the receiving end of some vigilante justice. It's the third and fourth names that prove to be more complicated. Echoing Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill: Volume One", the stripclub owner, the black man who pulled the trigger on the dead man in the urn, has a child, a college-aged son, just as "Copperhead"(Vivica A. Fox) had a child, a young daughter, in which some may argue, is enough reason for the assassin to ply some compassion. But being a parent isn't enough redemption for either Driver or "The Bride"(Uma Thurman) to call the whole thing off, and spare their respective targets' lives. The preacher, however, is given a reprieve. In a flashback, we see that the man of God tried to stop the slaying, therefore making Driver's decision to forgive and forget all the more easier. But what if the preacher was the trigger-man? That would be a real test of compassion on Driver's part. Providing the killer with a real dilemma might have put "Faster" over the top. If Driver offed the man of God, then moviegoers would really have something to talk about. Just because you're born again, and God has forgiven all your sins, does the man who stands over you with the power of God in his hands have to do so, likewise? For once, wouldn't it be nice to see something truly transgressive in a studio film? "Faster" is not "Death Wish", but for all the wrong reasons. As a hypothetical, "The Bride" would do a preacher, and that's because her creator thinks like an artist, not a marketer.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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6

bfoore90May 17, 2015

Big Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson fan here, overall this movie was pretty decent. Enough action to satisfy the action gurus out there, The Rock was pretty good as well though he maybe had like 10 lines of dialogue in the entire movie. I'd callBig Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson fan here, overall this movie was pretty decent. Enough action to satisfy the action gurus out there, The Rock was pretty good as well though he maybe had like 10 lines of dialogue in the entire movie. I'd call this a good call given that his most dramatic scenes aren't believable. Making up for his silence are the creatively named Cop and Killer who both explore relationships and contemplate the bookends of careers. The story is simple and straight to the point, a man out looking for revenge on those who double crossed him and murdered his brother. Though it could have been alot better, i guess you could still take it as it is.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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5

ArkonBladeMar 23, 2011

starts off kinda intresting with some decent action but plotwise and charicter develpment really dont go much of any where and by the last 30 min i started loosing intrest in it . even the big plot twist near the end did nothing for me . juststarts off kinda intresting with some decent action but plotwise and charicter develpment really dont go much of any where and by the last 30 min i started loosing intrest in it . even the big plot twist near the end did nothing for me . just a mediocore film .… Expand