Welcome back from the darkness. If his films are anything to go by, writer-director Edgar Wright can offer people excellent entertainment. He loves action and humor, and he seems to strive to make films that are entertainment rather than philosophical statements about life. Many people know his work from the Three Flavours of Cornetto trilogy You can watch it on MoviesWatch free of cost. (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End), others are fans of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
He leads the escape with incredible talent
The concept, energy, and creative use of music are recognizable features of Wright’s films, and they contribute greatly to the success of his latest. Ansel Elgort (brilliant in A Mistake in Our Stars) plays Baby, a highly talented driver who pays off a debt to Doc, a ruthless crime boss played by Kevin Spacey. The Kid has an unusual cinematic affliction – as a child, his parents died in an accident and he developed tinnitus. He compensates for the constant noise in his ears by listening to music through headphones plugged into one of his many iPods (depending on his mood).
Part of any escape route
His insistence on finding the right song to suit the moment adds color to every performance. The film begins with perhaps the best chase scene ever, and the hyperkinetic approach sets the stage for something a little different from what we usually see. There are no cars falling out of planes or jumping off trains here (I’m looking at you, Fast and Furious). Instead, these are good old-fashioned car chases in the style of Bullitt or, more specifically, Walter Hill’s 1978 Driver (Mr. Hill appears briefly here as a court reporter).
A gentle romantic film
A romantic film with a diverse and very good vocal range, lots of energy, several comedic moments (Mike Myers’ mask sequence is brilliant), and a recurring quote from Monsters, Inc. requires a strong leader, and young Elgort passes this test. The baby is the DJ of his own life, and he has a moral compass that others in his situation may not understand. He has a heart of gold in the wrong place.
The forensic team includes a psychologist
Spacey plays Doc with a creepy look and even gets his own action movie moment with an automatic weapon during a violent shootout. Spacey’s various (and changing) killer groups include psychotic boyfriends Buddy (Jon Hamm, constantly trying to distance himself from Don Draper) and Darling (Eisa Gonzalez), John Bernthal, Flea, and one named Bats (Jamie Foxx), who is not the smartest of the bunch. Other supporting roles include the rarely seen composer/actor Paul Williams, musician Skye Ferreira (as Baby’s loving mother), young Brogan Hall as Doc’s talented nephew, and CJ Jones as Baby’s adopted son. Jones is one of the few deaf actors in the film, and he brings much more to Baby’s life than murder.
Always a red flag bearer
The lead role as Baby’s love interest goes to the talented and likable Lily James (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) as singing waitress Deborah, who introduces him to Carla Thomas’ song “B-A-B-Y,” while T.Rex introduces “Deborah.” She and Baby share a not-so-ambitious life plan: “to go west with a car I can’t afford and a plan I don’t have.” They get along well together, and this helps cancel out the “last part” of the ever-precious warning signal before the lovers are kidnapped together.
Some fantastic sequels
The Miscellaneous team includes choreographer Ryan Heffington, who deserves at least some of the credit for the most unique and creative part of the show. This is a film to music set, rather than music to film. In some excellent scenes, the drum and bass rhythms fit perfectly with the action – the filming, the driving, and the movement of the characters on 9kmovies. “Harlem Shuffle” plays as Baby playfully dances around graffiti and sidewalk obstacles, perfectly matching the rhythm and lyrics of the song.
Highly creative use on a large scale
We see perhaps the best use of the song “Bellbottoms” and probably the most creative use of Focus’ “Hocus Pocus”. The exciting mix of comedic shots and a new love helps balance the thrill of crime with a suspenseful chase.
