Fantastic.

 

It’s not often that I watch a film that is so good that it redefines a genre for me. & Drive made me realise what’s wrong with all the action movies.

Take any typical blockbuster. Say, Clash of the Titans, which I watched recently. CGI fighting scenes, tons of characters, a very loud metal score, unbelievable camera angles and a barely understandable plot.

I didn’t realise I hated all these until I watched Drive. A very toned-down action film, which reminds me of the Westerns I used to idolise. A return to the basics.

 

I usually judge movies on several things – the plot, the acting, the cinematography and the score. The straight-forward plot & the few characters keeps everything simple.

A silent flawed hero, like Clint Eastwood. Instead of the incessant clichés diatribes, it’s the acting that conveys the emotions.

The cinematography. The intro with that first-person view of the car. That was wonderful.

The score. I didn’t know I loved that kind of retro music (French House) until I watched Drive. Thanks for that. & rarely do you get to hear music that fits in so perfectly with the scenario. I simply can’t get it out of my head.

 

When the Driver was stabbed, and the camera panned on him, I was genuinely pissed off. & then that perfect song comes in & he drives off over the horizon. Just like in the Westerns.

Clearly my tastes have evolved & I’m now appreciating those non-mainstream movies which I previously disregarded. Between Midnight in Paris & Drive, I can’t figure which is my favourite movie of 2011. Why don’t they make more movies like this?

 

9/10

 

Related:

• Wikipedia – Drive
• IMDB – Drive [8/10]