Blu-ray Review - Need For Speed

Need For Speed
Director: Scott Waugh
Starring: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Michael Keaton
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures & Touchstone Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 5, 2014
Retail: $44.99
Running Time: 131 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Buy Link: Walmart

Review:

Arriving  on Blu-ray on Tuesday, August 5, 2014, is the supercharged action-flick Need For Speed, directed by Scott Waugh (Act of Valor) and starring Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad). Special features include Capturing Speed: Making An Authentic Car Movie, Ties That Bind, The Circus Is In Town, Audio Commentary Monarch & Maverick Outtakes, The Sound of Need For Speed, Deleted Scenes and Need For Speed Rivals Trailer.

Based on the popular video game series, the film centers on the former racer, Tobey Marshall (played by Aaron Paul), who is now a mechanic in New York. Out of nowhere, he is offered a chance to earn 25% of a $2 million from Dino Brewster (played Dominic Cooper) in exchange for finishing the rare Ford Shelby Mustang, a car that was designed by the late Carroll Shelby. Tobey and his pals, Maverick, Joe, Little Pete and Finn finish building the car just in time for Dominic to sell it to an exotic car dealer, Julia Maddon (played by Imogen Poots), for $2.7 million. Dominic doesn't want to pay the 25% share and challenges Tobey and Little Pete to a race, resulting in Tobey being sent to prison for involuntary manslaughter.

Tobey is released on parole two years later and he has one thing on his mind - revenge! He talks Julia Maddon in letting him drive the Ford Shelby Mustang in the De Leon, a underground racing event organized by local DJ Monarch (played by Michael Keaton), but there are a few catches - the race is invite only, Julia must ride with him and the race will take place in California, leaving them only two days to drive from New York to the west coast. With Maverick in the air watching the traffic and Joe and Finn in a truck behind him, Tobey races across the country with police and bounty hunters in pursuit.


Despite receiving negative reviews from the critics, the film did manage to pull in over $200 million on a $66 million budget at the box-office this past spring. With the Fast & Furious franchise being so popular, it was just a matter of time before a studio made a racing video game into a feature film. While the film's plot is preposterous, there is enough humor and action throughout the film to make it more enjoyable than the mainstream critics said it was. I appreciate the fact that producers used practical effects instead of the unneeded CGI. Overall, Need For Speed offers no more than the title suggests - a straight up racing movie, which should satisfy most fans of the video games.

*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.