Overdrive - Blu-Ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Overdrive

Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score: ​

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Movie
The front cover tagline of Overdrive states “Smarter and cooler than any of the Fast and the Furious films”. Well, I hate to say it, but that’s not a giant hurdle to leap over. I LOVE The Fast and the Furious movies, but I am well aware that “smart” is not a reason that I watch them. Well, Overdrive isn’t exactly the sharpest tool in the shed either, so it really doesn’t live up to that tagline in any way, except for maybe being about AS smart the before mentioned series of films starring bald headed, muscle bound men. Instead, it’s really a rip-off of the franchise with much less entertaining set of leads, and not nearly enough explosions and action to keep the film at a high peak of intensity. The film isn’t a bad film, and actually quite competent in many ways, but the deal acting of Eastwood and Thorp make for a “once and done” type of watch that works well as a rental, but not really as something I’d add to the collection day one.

The various actors saying things like “Do you thing that I’m stupid?” several times throughout the film, and I have to say “Well, if the shoe fits”, as Clint Eastwood’ son Scott and Freddie Thorp get into more stupid situations and over analyzed action sequences than you can shake a stick at. Andrew Foster (Eastwood) and his brother Garrett (Freddie Thorp) are a pair of half brothers who happen to be world famous car thieves. Their exploits across France has made them THE go to guys if you want to steal a high value car from just about anyone. However, their latest exploits from a local gangster have netted them a stolen car from none other than the famous mobster Jacomo Morier (Simon Abkarian). A man so powerful that even THEY shrink in terror from that job. This little faux pas puts them in debt to the man, who is talked into employing their skills in order to rip off a car from his biggest competitor, Max Klemp (Clemens Schick).

However, getting a car from Monsieur Klemp is going to be a high risk and that will require a team that can get the job done. Using the third member of the Foster brothers team, Andre’s girlfriend Stephanie (Ana de Armas) and her contacts, the brothers craft a high stakes game of cat and mouse with their target. The only thing is, Jacomo Morier has plans of his own, and that includes forcing his cousin into their mix as an “out in the open spy” to make sure that they get the job done. A choice that may jeopardize their entire plan as the man they’re up against is not stupid in the slightest.

I chuckle that the film advertises the fact that Overdrive is written by the same duo who wrote 2 Fast, 2 Furious, which just so happens to be the worst entry into The Fast and the Furious franchise. Once again, they’re back in France (much like The Transporter or Taken), but the poor French countryside is in for a rather blasé action trip this go around. As if The Fast and the Furious wasn’t stupid enough, Overdrive manages to be even more bland and more tasteless than even 2 Fast, 2 Furious. Eastwood is easily one of the most boring actors in Hollywood today (which is actually a much bigger sin than being BAD). His father was one of the most iconic and quietly charismatic actors in Hollywood for many years, but Scott has none of his father’s cool charm and charisma. He’s just a white pretty boy who coasts through one DTV film after another. Thorp is surprisingly good at his role though, and makes for a decent character, but Ana is about as bland and uninspiring as Eastwood is, making their little romance all the more boring.

Now for the good parts. The action is actually not that bad. The film doesn’t have the budget to rival The Fast and the Furious films that it so desperately is trying to emulate, but the car chases are done pretty well (despite some shaky cam filming that gets on the nerves). The cars are well done, the stunts aren’t bad, but the ONE faux pas that it makes is that it is even more ridiculous than watching The Rock crack off his cast by flexing a muscle. It’s the fact that there are so many stretches of believably in regards to their plan that you’re sitting there going ‘wait? How did they actually PLAN that? You’d have to be psychic?!’ for half the film. The finale with Jacomo on the warf is the biggest example of this, and to make it worse. They don’t explain half the things that NEEDED to be explained. It’s competently done, and It’s a fun little action flick for a 90 minute ride, but sadly the film just doesn’t have the charisma or staying power to recommend as anything more than a rental.




Rating:

Rated PG-13 for violence, action, some sexual material and language




Video:

Overdrive was shot on Arri Alex XT cameras and finished with a 2K DI at 2.39:1, making the Blu-ray a good looking piece of eye candy. The film has a burnished bronze look to it much of the time, giving a slightly burnt and ruddy look to facial tones, as well as a bronzed look to many of the surrounding backdrops. Colors are warm and bright, with the cherry reds of the sports cars popping off the screen with incredible clarity and vibrancy. Fine detail is usually REALLY good, but I did notice that the film would get soft around the edges from scene to scene. One moment the film could be 5/5 clean and clear, with the next scene looking soft (especially around faces and surrounding locales). Black levels are deep and inky, and I have nothing to complain about in regards to artifacting, as the digital shoot is very clean and glossy with no real artifacting to be seen.






Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track for Overdrive is LOUD and powerful. The film throbs with bass and the dynamic range is so wide that I actually felt (for once) that it was TOO overcooked with the action scenes. I actually found myself turning the track up and down as vocals were just fine at normal decibel levels, but the pulsating action scenes would blast at full power, bringing bass drops and score usage to a much higher level, resulting in me quickly changing the volume down so the action would blow my ear drums. The clarity level of the action is above reproach though, with crystal clear vocals (despite heavy French accents) and the LFE is deep and weighty (although cooked a bit hot). Surrounds are full of activity during the car chases, and bullets can whiz by at any angle, changing directions throughout the track. An excellent track all around, with the only thing keeping it from a 5/5 rating was the dynamic range being just a bit TOO wide.





Extras:

• Behind the Scenes Featurettes that delve into the film's action-packed story, cast, and, of course, sensational high performance cars

Final Score: ​

Overdrive is not a bad film, but merely a competent knockoff of Gone in 60 Seconds (the Nick Cage version) that doesn’t really expand upon the car thief genre that much. Putting Scott Eastwood in the starring role doesn’t do much to raise the bar either. There are some good chase scenes, and some fun action, but I would rate this is as merely a decent little action flick that is worthy of a rental on a friday night if you like like car chases, nonsensical plot twists and bullets bouncing everywhere. Paramount’s Blu-ray is great to look at, and even better to listen to, so that makes it all the more enticing for us to take a look at. Worth a rental.




Technical Specifications:

Starring: Scott Eastwood, Freddie Thorp, Ana de Armas
Directed by: Antonio Negret
Written by: Michael Brandt, Derek Haas
Aspect Ratio: 2.39.1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1
Studio: Paramount
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 93 Minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: November 7th, 2017

Image

• Michael Scott
• May 11, 2017

Recommendation: Rental

 

[tripplej]

Thanks for the review. Will check it out once on amazon prime/netflix.