Drive (1997)

A prototype enhanced human, on the run from Chinese-hired hit men, hooks up with a dread-locked bystander, and the two of them elude their pursuers narrowly each time.

Director:

Steve Wang

Writer:

Scott Phillips

Stars:

Mark Dacascos, Kadeem Hardison, John Pyper-Ferguson

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Dacascos	...	Toby Wong
Kadeem Hardison	...	Malik Brody
John Pyper-Ferguson	...	Vic Madison
Brittany Murphy	...	Deliverance Bodine
Tracey Walter	...	Hedgehog
James Shigeta	...	Mr. Lau
Masaya Katô	...	Advanced Model
Dom Magwili	...	Mr. Chow
Ron Yuan	...	Razor Scarred
Clive Rosengren	...	Cantwell
Christopher Michael	...	Jeb
'Evil' Ted Smith	...	Joss (as Ted Smith)
Tedd Szeto	...	Receptionist / Assistant
R.A. Mihailoff	...	Singing Trucker
David Watts	...	Apollo Bartender

Storyline

A prototype enhanced human, on the run from Chinese-hired hit men, hooks up with a dread-locked bystander, and the two of them elude their pursuers narrowly each time.

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Plot Keywords:

on the run | violence | tough guy | showdown | gunfight | 

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Taglines:

If you live for action... don't settle for anything less!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violent content and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 August 1997 (Philippines)

Also Known As:

Fugue

Filming Locations:

25955 Vía Catalina, Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Overseas FilmGroup, NEO Motion Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 117 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Sanaa Lathan.

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Goofs

During the shootout in the hotel room there is a camera shot of Madison next to the door. In this shot you can see there is a bullet hole just above the card reader. Even though no bullets hit close to the part of the door until a few seconds later.

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Quotes

Waterfront Bartender: I don't know why you want to waste so much time writing those sappy love songs when no-one wants to hear 'em. Least of all, the woman who dumped your sorry ass.
Malik Brody: Oh, well thank you Doctor! I feel so much better now!
Waterfront Bartender: The truth hurts, baby.

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Alternate Versions

The original cut of the movie was about 20 minutes longer and had a different soundtrack than the one heard throughout the movie. When the production company saw the movie was longer than they expected, they recut the film and added a techno soundtrack to it.

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Connections

References Apollo 13 (1995)

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Soundtracks

Satisfaction Guaranteed
Written by Alan Mirikitani
Performed by Buddha Heads
Courtesy of Windswept Pacific Entertainment, Co.

User Reviews

Direct-to-video success

The straight to video action genre must be the fastest expanding percentage of the home video market I swear not. So these days with so much out there, it's hard to figure out what's worth your time, money and what's best left on the shelf for eternity. More times than not, most movies aren't worth either, but we're all suckers for something especially "us guys". Yes it may be a stereotype that guys like car crash movies, guns 'n babes flicks and any movie with the words "death" "kill" "gun" or "action" in it's title, but it rings sorta true. It's on this simple premise so many movies come out each year with titles that you expect to know what you're getting. The box naturally trying it's hardest to win you over too. Let's take a hypothetical situation. There's three movie boxes in front of you. All action titles.

(1) First one stars a familiar face or two, but nobody special. The movie's box is predominately pretty plain looking (cheap). Two guys on top of a car firing guns right at us. The title screams "boring". The kind of box you've seen a hundred times before on your local video shelves.

(2) A pair of sexy blonds (dillinger in stockings: optional) stand off to the side of the b-movie star holding a silenced handgun. In the background, an overlay of a building blowing up and a helicopter whistling through the air with a man hanging out. Title sounds action-like, the box is suggestive and the art sells it.

(3) Box displays a fallen Hollywood star now resigned to doing B-movie leads lying in the grass in full cameo fatigues with a sniper's rifle. A sexy brunette assassin in the background showing ample cleavage and a mighty sharp blade. Off to the side a cobra gunship firing from the air and all this is surrounding by one large red rifle sight.

The visual creatures we are, chances are you're thinking about (2) or (3) or maybe you're getting nothing from these choices. Alas in my deepest hopes of saving you from another disappointment, I recommend Drive.

An absolute gem for all of us action movies junkies - the kinda flick that makes up for the twenty or so dog piles you've gone through previously. It's quite the action experience for direct-to-video fare, the fight choreography is great, Dacascos is at the top of his form and is better than anyone I've seen in the kick-kick genre of late. The explosions work, the acting is surprisingly decent for this sort of nonsense and the start, middle and end are entertaining. Yeah the story is somewhat of a test pattern, but everyone involved make it work and god it's about time. Finally a buddy movie that's both action packed and funny too. Kadeem Hardison and Dacascos put together some fun stuff and if this is low budget it's not showing. The production values are crisp. All except maybe that fake, prosthetic arm.

This is definitely one movie I could live with a sequel from. It deserves one because it overcame the odds. Do yourself a favor. Rent this. You heard me. If you're a fan of DTV action fare and you want it tight and refreshingly done then this is your meal ticket. Oh yeah and before I forget ... remember that hypothetical situation with the movie boxes? Drive was (1). The irony.