A nice little Amber Heard double-bill. Do you blame me? :p
Drive Angry starts off fantastically well. By the first 15 minutes you might be rubbing your hand in glee anticipating the film ahead. The next 30-odd minutes are good, developing the plot well.
Then somehow, things go downhill till the climax. Some things which are shown after the one-hour mark defy sense, and you are left wondering what the director was thinking of.
Nic Cage does good initially, then starts getting into his
Ghost Rider stride, a vibe which I couldn't shake off as much as I tried to. Amber Heard is simply fantastic and delicious...need I say more? (!) Great to see Tom Atkins in a longish cameo, and David Morse was a surprise. A nice little climax tries to be the saving grace of the film, but at 104 minutes and most of it centering on pulling forward a drab-developed plot, dampens the spirit of the film.
It could have been better. My highlight was Amber Heard, and I have no idea what others will like in this one.
* * ½
Ahh...Sir John Carpenter, welcome back!
It's great to see the great master return to his elements with a story which could easily have been a 80s gem. The periodic setting is absolutely delightful, the atmosphere really creepy and claustrophobic, and the plot is reminiscent of so many good atmospheric films of the golden era. The surprise ending felt like a good finish to a great story, and, while
The Ward is not a standout project like
Grindhouse was, overall this film manages to stand out from most of the other drab entries of the genre in recent times.
And of course, Amber Heard and Danielle Panabaker in mostly non-glamorous performances. No complaints whatsoever from this fanboy of both gorgeous dolls.
Sir Carpenter might be well past his prime, and to expect a
Halloween or
Escape From New York or
The Thing today from him might be asking a bit too much, yet if he keeps bringing out films such as
The Ward then he is still a force in the genre. At least he will give you your money's worth, a thing which MOST makers and studios have given up on long ago.
Did I mention Amber Heard was fantastic? Can you tell I am absolutely smitten yet?
* * * ½