Directed by:
Scott WaughCinematography:
Shane HurlbutComposer:
Nathan FurstCast:
Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots, Dominic Cooper, Rami Malek, Kid Cudi, Ramon Rodriguez, Dakota Johnson, Michael Keaton, Harrison Gilbertson, Nick Chinlund, Han Soto (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
"Need for Speed" marks an exciting return to the great car culture films of the 1960s and '70s, tapping into what makes the American myth of the open road so appealing. The story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country journey for our heroes—one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Videos (32)
Reviews (11)
This film is a treat for the fans of the game, or at least for people who have ever played it, the rest will struggle and complain about how unrealistic and illogical it is. The gaming feeling is manifest in every other scene, and the original shots during car crashes and the fantastic "FPS" view from the car are a clear indication that the people behind this film know what they're doing and are teasing us. The screenplay is perhaps nonsense in terms of plot, emotions, and character motivation, but something had to be there, right? Aaron Paul is good and fits well into tough guy roles. The best car scenes in the history of cinema.
()
I have to say that this movie features great cars and some quite interesting racing with some pleasant locations, but that is about it, hence the two stars. The narrative is told in a strange way and it was not original - just some clichéd rivalry issue between two drivers and a quest for revenge for the ruined life of a friend. Unlike in The Fast and the Furious, I did not get on with the main male protagonist or his crew (the main female protagonist was not very sexy, either), so I was almost wishing for the cops to catch them already. I do not know if it was the stupid Czech dubbing or if the dialogues are this crazy in the original; however, the lines of those guys and the way they were communicating with each other left me with only the question “WTF?” and it was almost impossible to bear. Somehow I do not believe that guys in their twenties talk like I did when I was thirteen. If there were going to be another NFS, I would have liked a better story, a more charismatic main protagonist, a prettier girl, and edgy, relevant, and believable lines, not just a random load of supposedly funny lines meant to sound edgy to kids aged thirteen to fifteen. 3/10.
()
A surprisingly ambitious ride that cannot disappoint even occasional players. The story about racing revenge perfectly suits the various stunts like a hubcap on a wheel, and that Need for Speed would actually extract stronger emotions from me, I would never have expected even in my most optimistic dreams. When perfect rival chemistry between Aaron Paul and Dominic Cooper works, all I have to do is sit behind the wheel and enjoy a few typical locations or shots cut out from your favorite episode. And Nathan Furst's pleasantly plucked soundtrack makes you want to join the final race yourself.
()
Had I seen this as a teenager obsessed with playing NFS, I’d be ecstatic. The movie is full of gaming poetics and the cars
are a level higher than in the Fast & Furious series. With its great locations, Need for Speed is like a road trip around US national
parks and cities, as if they were levels in a game. As for characters and the logic of the story, however, it couldn’t be
lamer. But the 130-minute running time is not grating, as it makes the film into the longest guilty pleasure mind-fuck in
the history of cinema.
()
Why aren't there more movies based on computer games? Oh, right. And thanks, Need for Speed, for reminding me. Because they always turn out to be a disappointment. I really like the NFS franchise, and although in recent years (actually since “Most Wanted”) the whole series has been going downhill, there’s no other racing game I enjoy playing more. But what I got in those unbelievably long 131 minutes (!) was totally worthless. Even when reading what it was supposed to be about, it was clear to me that no brain activity would be necessary. Let's start with the positives: 1 star for EA’s courage to even film this, 1 star for the two leads. And that’s about it. The rest is truly horrendous. The actors in the supporting roles were selected based on their looks, but they can’t act their way out of a paper bag. The soundtrack, one of the best and most awesome aspects of the game series which had never failed, managed to do so in the movie, being one of its worst parts. The dialogues are strikingly unnatural. Pretty much everything about this movie is wrong. The concept itself of racing across the US within a certain time limit inspired by one of the worst installments, “Need for Speed: The Run,” spelled disaster. Anyway, if the movie managed to make money (which it somehow did), then other movies based on computer games can be made, which means there’s at least something positive about it. Or is there?
()
Gallery (110)
Photo © DreamWorks Pictures / Melinda Sue Gordon
![Need for Speed - Photos](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/167/466/167466236_7pebj3.jpg)
Ads