Yeah, I liked this movie. It's actually quite good. Strange that the DVD (region 2) I rented to watch it on kept returning to the menu after each chapter (on my Powerbook G3). I don't know whether other people have also experienced this problem, but it seriously detracted from the overall movie. The movie is great in itself though. It's somewhat of a realistic "Gone in 60 seconds" or a serious "Cannonball Run".
14 Reviews
Illegal race
Basf-224 May 2000
When I saw this movie, I had never heard anything about it before. Often that's the best way to see a film, and have an objective look at it. This movie starts of promising with a car chase scene, accompanied by loud drum and bass-like music. The tone is set: another movie about young people in the slums of some Anglo- Irish city ( compare Trainspotting), with lots of modern music. The music in fact is the only thing that remained interesting during the whole movie. For the rest, it's nothing more than a sympathetic effort to make a film about these youngsters, their boredom and the illegal race it results in. Oh, and there's something about the problems in Northern Ireland as well! Most of the characters are quiet flat and the acting often is well meant, but very poor. And the race, witch takes up most of the time of the movie, is in fact a bit boring. There are much more interesting films about illegal car races, like for example the classics "Two-Lane Backtop" and "Vanishing Point" ( I bet you the makers were influenced by these movies!) Finally, I recently saw a much more interesting and natural film about youngsters and their problems, with no car chases at all, and hardly any loud, modern music. That was the recent Swedish picture "Fucking Åmål". Now there's a movie I'd really recommend!
revenge of the scangers.pretty good.
baz-1526 January 2001
Bunch of dublin scangers and their belfast scanger pals have a race from belfast to dublin , whoever gets to the pope's cross in the phoenix park first wins all the money (i think it's 1200 quid). We meet some interesting characters-wacker, who is the tough guy of the dublin gang and is an illiterate psychopath; crunchie, whose diet consists of nothing but crunchie bars (talk about product placement); anto who is a mellow myopic geek and is the most lovable of the characters; And Johnny T from belfast who is in a spot of trouble with the provos and wants to move to Barcelona. There isn't too much 'racing' in the film, it's more concerned with what happens to each car separately. Backed up by pounding factory beat type music and a spot of easy listening for anto of course. On the whole-deadly!Rapidd!! Leave your brain at your gaff and enjoy the ride 7/10
Confused, but ultimately powerful
someguyonthenet11 March 2001
I've just seen the film in the city where it all begins (Belfast). Where to begin ? I got the strong feeling that the director (Vinny Murphy) knew how he wanted his film to end, but wasn't quite sure how to get there.
The first half of the film has a confused feel, almost lacking in direction, as it were. The acting was very patchy, almost embarrassing in places. But stick with it; as the action continues, the acting improves vastly, as does the direction. As the race (from Belfast to Dublin) progresses events take a surprising, and disturbing, turn for the worse...
A highly recommended insight into what is, effectively, another world. I look forward to Murphy's second film. Here's hoping it's in production as we speak.
The first half of the film has a confused feel, almost lacking in direction, as it were. The acting was very patchy, almost embarrassing in places. But stick with it; as the action continues, the acting improves vastly, as does the direction. As the race (from Belfast to Dublin) progresses events take a surprising, and disturbing, turn for the worse...
A highly recommended insight into what is, effectively, another world. I look forward to Murphy's second film. Here's hoping it's in production as we speak.
X + Y = scumbag?
MarcusMyAlias5 May 2006
I can't believe somebody liked this film. (Yer man above)
This is a poor cross between Cannonball (Gumball), and 'smart' movies of the 90's such as Pulp Fiction, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels etc. It tries to employ the multiple storyline spread across multiple characters, which best works when they merge together in a finale, or cross paths in some ironic manner, but this story goes nowhere. The paths of each group barely cross, the characters are barely explored, hence there is no sense of motivation, and so much of the action seems senseless - like it suited the scriptwriter to simply kill off this character because he couldn't find any use for him in the story. Or alternatively to make some guy go on a suicide mission with virtually no explanation of why he would do this, except for a naive psychological profile for dummies where 'Anto has no father + his mother is an alcoholic = Anto robs cars for fun... Its insultingly stupid. Basically the entire premise of the story is arbitrary, and the execution of it goes absolutely nowhere. Its the most half-assed Irish feature film I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them.
This is a poor cross between Cannonball (Gumball), and 'smart' movies of the 90's such as Pulp Fiction, Lock Stock & Two Smoking Barrels etc. It tries to employ the multiple storyline spread across multiple characters, which best works when they merge together in a finale, or cross paths in some ironic manner, but this story goes nowhere. The paths of each group barely cross, the characters are barely explored, hence there is no sense of motivation, and so much of the action seems senseless - like it suited the scriptwriter to simply kill off this character because he couldn't find any use for him in the story. Or alternatively to make some guy go on a suicide mission with virtually no explanation of why he would do this, except for a naive psychological profile for dummies where 'Anto has no father + his mother is an alcoholic = Anto robs cars for fun... Its insultingly stupid. Basically the entire premise of the story is arbitrary, and the execution of it goes absolutely nowhere. Its the most half-assed Irish feature film I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of them.
The real fast and the furious...
Mikew300111 December 2002
Warning: Spoilers
"Accelerator" is next to "Crush Proof" one of the best examples of a new Irish Cinema in the wake of "Trainspotting". It's about a bunch of teenagers nicking sports cars and doing a high speed competition race through Ireland to Dublin. A series of incidents turns the youthful "fun crime" to a catastrophe for everyone. A couple is lynched by some rednecks on the countryside, some are chased by the police, and the main actors are finally confronted with the military violence of Northern Irish religious terrorism.
The actors in this movie are all young, powerful and mostly unknown. The dialogues are superb, the direction is fast-pacing, and a selection of powerful and groovy techno and alternative songs are adding a suitable sound track to this rushing adrenaline movie with a big impact. And it's much better than empty and senseless contemporary Hollywood stuff like "Driven" or "The Fast and the Furious". Big stuff!
The actors in this movie are all young, powerful and mostly unknown. The dialogues are superb, the direction is fast-pacing, and a selection of powerful and groovy techno and alternative songs are adding a suitable sound track to this rushing adrenaline movie with a big impact. And it's much better than empty and senseless contemporary Hollywood stuff like "Driven" or "The Fast and the Furious". Big stuff!
The worst movie ever made
sliced-and-diced5 August 2008
This film is an absolute disgrace, I have never seen anything so bad in my life and hope I never will again. The biggest waste of time and money, I can't believe things like this are allowed to be made, completely retarded, and just typical of the world we live in. Stupid plot, crap acting, rubbish dialogue, its hilariously bad, I just cannot believe this could be made, I can understand other films like this getting the go-ahead like Gone In 60 Seconds etc., even though I also find films like that retarded, but I know there is a market for them out there, and they look like masterpieces compared to this joke. It's an insult to all good film-makers with real ideas out there who don't get the time of day from production companies, that this is seen as art.
Best Irish film in years
zinzan_29 April 2003
When I saw this film, I was blown away - the young actors catch the realism of the characters perfectly, and the setting/location and influence of the environment on the characters is exactly what the harsher areas of Dublin and Belfast are like. A chase/race movie on a budget that puts Hollywood to shame - it's out on DVD rental in Ireland, but not available to buy (someday please!!) Top marks, a great film.
Gone In 60 Seconds Meets Trainsporting . What About Ya ?
Theo Robertson4 July 2013
It's a British mainland stereotype that everyone in Belfast has a criminal record , wears a balaclava and carries a gun . So how does film from the Republic Of Ireland begin ? With a character driving a car being chased by a couple of hooded men carrying baseball bats . Never mind the Good Friday Agreement if ACCELERATOR doesn't unite everyone in Britain and Ireland in to Belfast stereotypes nothing will
I didn't understand the opening scene . It's obvious the men after the protagonist Johnny are paramilitaries , probably loyalists ones judging by the colours the railings are painted as Johnny runs to his home but feels the need to burn the car he has stolen . Hmmmm if you're getting pursued by a kneecapping squad of the UFF why bother to burn the car . I mean it's not like the UFF are going to send out a forensic team to take fingerprints is it ? I guess the RUC might but wouldn't an experienced car thief like Johnny be wearing gloves ? I suppose the logic of this scene is that the film wants to get off with a bang literally
After setting up this scene the film meanders around . Characters come and go and say " What about ya ? " and " what about ya ? " and " what about ya ? " which is the only comprehensible dialogue in most of the film . Since it's produced in Dublin I often thought the characters were talking in Irish Gaelic
The rest of the film is a rather uneasy mix of GONE IN 60 SECOMDS and TRAINSPOTTING but lacks the star charisma of a Robert Carlyle . That said it does portray lower working class alcohol obsessed Celtic culture relatively well , but of course being set in Ireland someone has to pull out a gun some point . What about ya ?
I didn't understand the opening scene . It's obvious the men after the protagonist Johnny are paramilitaries , probably loyalists ones judging by the colours the railings are painted as Johnny runs to his home but feels the need to burn the car he has stolen . Hmmmm if you're getting pursued by a kneecapping squad of the UFF why bother to burn the car . I mean it's not like the UFF are going to send out a forensic team to take fingerprints is it ? I guess the RUC might but wouldn't an experienced car thief like Johnny be wearing gloves ? I suppose the logic of this scene is that the film wants to get off with a bang literally
After setting up this scene the film meanders around . Characters come and go and say " What about ya ? " and " what about ya ? " and " what about ya ? " which is the only comprehensible dialogue in most of the film . Since it's produced in Dublin I often thought the characters were talking in Irish Gaelic
The rest of the film is a rather uneasy mix of GONE IN 60 SECOMDS and TRAINSPOTTING but lacks the star charisma of a Robert Carlyle . That said it does portray lower working class alcohol obsessed Celtic culture relatively well , but of course being set in Ireland someone has to pull out a gun some point . What about ya ?
Where's Burt?
ilja-228 July 2000
Saw "Gone in Sixty Seconds" this week, one week after watching "Accelerator". Both films about stealing cars and driving very fast. But whereas this is only the beginning in Accelerator, GiSS never proceeds beyond that given. If you like Trainspotting, Bernie, Lock, Stock, go watch this film.
When after the first half you get the feeling this is Cannonball run without Burt Reynolds, the second half will seriously surprise you. This film is about pain, about lack of opportunity, about lack of control and about despair more than anything else, with some pretty great action sequences mixed in. The pace is stunning, and even in the more tranquil moments there is an underlying tension that holds you in its grip. Great film, best one sofar this year.
When after the first half you get the feeling this is Cannonball run without Burt Reynolds, the second half will seriously surprise you. This film is about pain, about lack of opportunity, about lack of control and about despair more than anything else, with some pretty great action sequences mixed in. The pace is stunning, and even in the more tranquil moments there is an underlying tension that holds you in its grip. Great film, best one sofar this year.
Stay away, ugly movie on the loose!
kclio996 September 2007
Full of horrible, hysterical overacting and ugly, uninteresting "characters", you wouldn't give this the time of day if it came from the States. Just because this trashy exploitative yarn was transposed to Ireland- or set in Ireland originally- isn't enough to raise it from the bargain bin status it deserves. Truly mediocre and visually mundane, it's simply awful! It's like an illiterate rip off of 'Deathrace 2000." Maybe the lack of originality is supposed to be postmodern, to me it just sucked. The director I believe was just as bad an actor as he is a director. Stay away unless you thought "Pete's meteor" was good.
Not a movie to miss!
jochum26 September 2001
I rented a few movies a few days ago, and I watched this one last because I wasn't sure if it would be a good one. Well I was totally surprised after seeing just 10 minutes, the suspense is so good, it gives a very real impression about teenagers doing crazy stuff, there's a very good storyline, it's funny sometimes, there's good action, nice cars and also some drama.
Afterwards I really felt like this was the first good movie I had seen in months.
If you haven't seen it yet and you like some tuned cars racin, kids doin very crazy stuff and a bit of drama, you'll love it!
Afterwards I really felt like this was the first good movie I had seen in months.
If you haven't seen it yet and you like some tuned cars racin, kids doin very crazy stuff and a bit of drama, you'll love it!
Brumm, Brumm, BRummm
famouspoet12 April 2000
I saw this movie last Saturday at the UGC cinema, Dublin (as part of the Dublin Film Festival).
My comments?? Probably the best 87 minutes of movie-making magic in the past twenty years. Storyline, script, camera work, cast, inter-play of characters, production, directorship...and music.
Vinnie and Gang - you've done the Irish proud. If you haven't seen it yet - don't delay....you're in for the ride of you're life.
My comments?? Probably the best 87 minutes of movie-making magic in the past twenty years. Storyline, script, camera work, cast, inter-play of characters, production, directorship...and music.
Vinnie and Gang - you've done the Irish proud. If you haven't seen it yet - don't delay....you're in for the ride of you're life.
What about the race?
analoguebubblebath25 April 2004
"Accelerator" is an enjoyable and competently directed movie. The plot has been touched on by other reviewers but what disappointed me was the director's insistence on character development rather than concentrating fully on the race and having a winner. I suppose that would have been too predictable.
As for the characters the statuesque Sharon and myopic Anto are probably the most likeable. Sharon (Mary Murray) has the most sensual screen presence I have seen in the last ten years.
Negatives - the smug, patronising, irritating and condescending Ripley and Spock played by the extremely overrated and arrogant pair that is Mary Ellen McCartan and Philip Richey.
Overall I'd say 5/10
As for the characters the statuesque Sharon and myopic Anto are probably the most likeable. Sharon (Mary Murray) has the most sensual screen presence I have seen in the last ten years.
Negatives - the smug, patronising, irritating and condescending Ripley and Spock played by the extremely overrated and arrogant pair that is Mary Ellen McCartan and Philip Richey.
Overall I'd say 5/10
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