Drive (1997) User Reviews

High energy, action, fun!

[markhorsburgh · 8/10 · 15 August 2007]

Ah, now I saw this film whilst browsing as you do, and thought I'd make a comment as this is a favourite of mine.

Now it's no Oscar winner and the plot is ridiculous really, straight out of a comic book. But lets face it, this film is all about the action. The kung-fu sequences show you in this film what a wasted talent Mark Dacascus is. He never gets the credit he deserves, and whilst not a great actor, he is very likable and a talented martial artist. It's such a shame we don't see him in more enjoyable movies; If you only ever watch Mark in one movie, make it this one. There's a great cast, who seem to be having a lot of fun, the film pays homage to Jackie Chan movies at points plus the fight choreography is well thought out.

The fight sequences are filmed in a very unique way, with the camera moving at very sharp, precise angles, which gives it a unique style. You never miss a move and the fighting does go at a fast pace. At the end of the day, a kung-fu movie lives or dies on the strength of it's fight scenes. Although not the best scenes you will see, the combination of humour and good action direction, really show off the skills on offer here.

So if you're a martial arts movie fan, and not seen this, give this it a whirl! It might just pleasantly surprise you.

Direct-to-video success

[refinedsugar · 8/10 · 13 June 2001]

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. Yes it may be a stereotype that guys like car crash movies, guns 'n babes flicks and any movie with the words "death" "kill" or "gun" in it's title, but it rings sorta true. It's on this simple premise 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 blondes (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. 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, a mighty sharp blade and all of this is surrounded by one large red rifle sight.

The visual creatures we men are - chances are you're thinking about (2) or (3). 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 ten 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. A quasi buddy movie - 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 a movie I could live with a sequel from. It deserves one because it overcame the odds. Do yourself a favor. Rent this. 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.

Just relax...and Drive

[Jakethemuss · 7/10 · 16 September 2007]

I stumbled upon this film about 7 or so years ago in the video store, and on a whim picked it out. I must admit to being fairly entertained with what I saw. The fight scenes are gloriously over the top and well choreographed, so much so I think I was laughing at several points during the film.

The plot is about as complex as a glass of water, but forget that for now, this is a film you watch for the action, for the cheesy comedy factor, for the hyper-kinetic, lighting quick scenes of martial arts mayhem. The fight scenes come frequent enough and do not disappoint. There are killer ninja robots, gun wielding assassins who burst through windows on stunt bikes, and a large supply of hapless henchmen who couldn't shoot a barn door at 3 paces.

Marc Dacascos shows of his talents in the lead role as Toby Wang, the hero and scene stealer of the film, Kadeem Hardison is on hand as Malik, the out of luck barfly who gets caught up in the ordeal, then there is Brittany Murphy in one pre-famous roles as a the ditsy daughter of a Motel owning couple.

The best Hong Kong film made somewhere else

[david.thomas41 · 14 March 2002]

American-born director and FX makeup man Steve Wang hooked up with Power Rangers stunt guru Koichi Sakamoto to make Guyver 2, a Japanese manga-inspired sci-fi movie with martial arts. Their next collaboration was Drive, a low-budget hi-tech action movie that has gained quite a following on DVD.

The movie stars Hawaiian martial arts genius Mark Dacascos as Toby, a guy on the run from the evil corporation that killed his girlfriend and implanted him with a 'Bio-engine', a device that gives Toby superhuman strength and speed. Arriving in America he enlists the reluctant help of Malik (Kadeem Hardison) and the two cross America in Malik's increasingly beat-up hot rod. Along the way there are a few laughs, a touch of romance, the occasional shootout and, oh yes, kung fu. Lots and lots of kung fu.

To be honest the plot is really just a way to get from one action scene to the next, but when the action is as good as this who cares? Wang, Sakamoto and Dacascos (is it me or does that sound like the world's weirdest legal firm?) have come up with some of the finest fight action you'll see in a film made outside Hong Kong. Dacascos proves he is every bit as flexible and forceful as Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Jackie Chan and the rest, while fight master Sakamoto is no less talented than Yuen Woo Ping or Cory Yuen Kuei. It's quite sickening that Dacascos is mostly confined to 10th-rate direct to video movies while overweight personal trainers and ballet dancers like Steven Seagull and Jean Claude Van Donut still manage to get cast in big-budget theatrical releases (well, maybe not Jean Claude anymore).

Fans of The Matrix will no doubt get a kick out of the lightning-fast moves and vaguely sci-fi setting (although it's worth noting that this film predates The Matrix by several years). Anyone looking for no-brainer popcorn entertainment that is actually good will also find much to enjoy.

Note: the US release of this film was cut by about 20 minutes and re-scored with a shockingly bad hip-hop soundtrack. The director's cut, available on UK DVD, is much better and worth seeking out.

Best direct-to-video action film I've ever seen

[surugon · 7/10 · 24 September 2019]

I consider myself a connoisseur of crap cinema. Whether it's an overblown, big budget misfire or low budget, straight-to-video B movie, I love to watch filmmakers fail. Not to revel in their defeat, but rather to learn from their mistakes. To quote the Scottish reformer Samuel Smiles "We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success." Drive however is a surprising success.

When I first discovered this film I was shocked that I hadn't seen or even heard of it. It's a sci-fi/action/Kung fu movie, which is maybe my favorite genre (semi kidding) and it stars Kadeem Hardison, one of my favorite comedic actors from childhood and Mark Dacascos, who is (in my opinion) the most overlooked action star of his era. Drive is the exact type of obscure film I make it my business to know all about and it let slip through the cracks for decades. For shame.

The second shock came when I searched the title on IMDb and discovered it had a 6.8 rating. I have never seen a low budget, direct-to-video, action film with such a high rating. 6.8 is a great rating for any film. There are movies that have been nominated for the Oscar for best picture that don't have a 6.8 rating. Now I was intrigued.

The final shock came when I was viewing the credits and I saw another familiar name: Koichi Sakamoto. Koichi was the long running fight coordinator for the TV show Power Rangers, a show I watched religiously from ages 2 to 14. 14 was probably too old to watching Power Rangers but Koichi's amazing fight choreography, which just got more elaborate and impressive as the series went on, made it well worth the ridicule.

With this film Mark, Kadeem, and Koichi handedly prove you don't need a big budget, gaudy special effects, and A list actors to elevate a film beyond it's ridiculous premise.

And the premise is ridiculous. It's like Rush Hour mixed with Iron Man. But director Steve Wang, who's work is obviously inspired by tokusatsu superheroes, is in a clear but strange comfort zone. Wang, who moved to the United States from Taiwan when he was 9, masterfully blends Eastern and Western influences more effectively than most directors.

This film moves with the brisk, breakneck pace of the best American action movies, features some of the most inventive fight choreography in any movie I've see , low budget or blockbuster, and the actors performances, while not Oscar worthy, are certainly solid.

As I was watching this movie, listening intently to the dialogue, scanning the faces of every performer, looking for something to grumble about. To criticize. To roll my eyes at...and I found nothing. Drive is a rare gem and totally deserves it's 6.8 rating. Drive was cheaply made but not poorly made. Everyone from the visual department, to the stunt team, to the actors brought their A game and it shows.

Lastly... Rush Hour is a complete rip off of this film. Watch Drive and then Rush Hour. Or vice versa. The similarities are obvious and devastating . Shame on you Brett Ratner. Shame.

A funny well made action movie.

[RoboRabbit89 · 7/10 · 21 June 2018]

I first seen this back in I think 1998 on TV when I was 8, I remember liking it even then, then around 2001 seen it again on TV.

Fast forward to 2018 and I still like this film, it's just as good as I remember it because sometimes seeing films in your childhood and then in adulthood differs.

I just rented it recently from my library and I still love it. On to the film, Mark Dacascos plays Toby Wong, from what I understand he could possibly be a soldier that more or less volunteered for the program to have a turbo drive device implanted in his chest that gives him superhuman strength, speed and agility. But for him, he is just a prototype, for we later learn there are others just like him in cold storage. Obviously this is the work of a sinister corporation,( but the version I have does not explain any further on that). Kadeem Hardison plays Malik Brody a down on his luck singer who meets Toby in a bar, as the bad guys track him, Malik and Toby flee the scene and Malik must "Drive" him around town to stay one step ahead.

This movie was a lot of fun, it's just non-stop action and laughs from start to finish, and the late Brittany Murphy plays a small roll too, mostly her is part is a comedic side kick for relief.

Overall fun, action packed and re-watchable. I give it a 7/10. I recommend it.

This is wham bang thank you mam!! Amazing fights!!

[supertom-3 · 9/10 · 16 January 2003]

Never mind the Matrix and the influx of Jackie Chan and Jet Li films. As far as martial arts films go this still has the best fight sequences outside of Hong Kong. The fights are amazing and capture the essence of Hong Kong chop socky flicks.

Merely having great fights wouldn't be enough, this has quality in terms of look and sound that a lot of Hong Kong films don't and it is minus the cheesy dubbing. What it also adds is a genuinely funny, if wafer thin script. It is of course just a series of events that give excuse for elaborate fight scenes.

Mark Dacascos stars in the lead and really shows his stuff. He moves like a cat, and really shines in the fights. The version you have to see of this film is the directors cut, the studio completely hacked away any sort of plot or character development. In the studio version we see Toby Wong (Dacascos) as merely a mercenary, but Wang's cut gives far more insight into his motives and gives the character an extra dimension. We get the chance to see Dacasco's acting abilities as well. He shows that he is an action star with more talent than most on all levels. You compare him to bigger money earners like Arnie, Van Damme and Seagal and he can out act them all as well as being even more impressive with the physical acting. Kadeem Hardison co-stars as Malik, who is initially Wang's hostage but they turn out to be best buds, cliché yes, but hey this is an action movie. Kadeem is hilarious, most of his lines are ad-libbed and you can see the other actors trying not to burst into laughter. Also Brittany Murphy is a scream as Deliverance a rather wacky motel owner, who is extremely randy and has the hots for Malik. The three of them together have amazing chemistry and it really adds to the humour. John Pyper Ferguson is also very funny as one of the bad guys. He comes out with some great lines, and also some hilariously cheesy lines such as `look its my favourite cheese eating, dick monkey' WHAT?!!

The film is pure mindless escapism, it's fast, it's funny, there's genuine chemistry there, and to hell with plot in a film like this, which features some jaw dropping fight scenes. Overall this is an action classic to savour. 8/10

Drive 2:🙏 please it could still happen for 2021

[PakistanFilmUpdates · 6/10 · 28 March 2021]

Epic action scenes crazy mix gerne try comdy but forced on the two character's friendship development.

seen both cuts - directors rocks!

[SB-Films · 9/10 · 26 August 2005]

SO many people out there have words about Drive, saying it's just a knock off of Rush Hour. Nope. Drive was made first. Not only that, Drive has been referenced in a bunch of movies, as far up as THE MATRIX (Agent Smith's glasses cracking in 1/2 - that scene was shot the same day that production peoples met with the action supervisor of Drive... where the same thing happens!) It's too bad that people on the money side had to mess this film up. I saw the regular release, and liked it enough to go out and buy it. It was a better than average action film, and could have done OK in theaters, I think... it didn't need to be a direct-to-video movie. Recently I saw the director's cut and DAMN IT'S GOOD! This movie would have been huge in theaters I think. Unfortunately someone on the financing side decided to cut the movie down and change the soundtrack, so the 117 min cut became the 100 minute cut and lost it's buzz... and was eventually relegated to the direct-to-video market. This is a shame, cause the directors cut is awesome.

Great action, great witty dialogue, the first (that I know of, correct me if I'm wrong) "cattle prod/electric baton" fight scene, and the main char.s name is TOBY WONG. If you don't get the reference, think about it... if you still don't get it, this movie's probably not for you anyway.

This is a great movie, hopefully we'll see the director's cut eventually get a DVD release... until then the 100 min version is pretty damn good.

Directors Cut: 9 out of 10 Video Cut: 7 out of 10

Mark was better than keanu

[hal-9000-8 · 7/10 · 3 March 2000]

I have watched the matrix loads of times and the action scenes, although probably on a much tighter budget for this film were far superior to that of the matrix. I saw this film first on the Sci-Fi channel and even though I have it on video I still can't help watching it when its repeated. I think Mark is a superb actor and deserves more recognition and also can't wait for the rumored new film which reunites him and the director of drive. Buy it on DVD or rent it today.. The plot might not be the best ever but its one film you cant watch enough.

A Kung Fu movie

[jeppemh · 3/10 · 21 December 2001]

This movie is probably good if you're into action kung fu movies. It's not my taste and therefore i've given it 3/10. There is approx. all together, 10 minutes of the movie, where you get information about why they're fighting all the time. The emotional scenes in the movie are so lousy that i actually found it quite hilarious. On top of that, many of the scenes are so unrealistic and incredible that it makes you laugh. But again, if you're into "no depth" Jackie Chan style movies, then go for it!

What was wrong with the bullets?

[Streetwolf · 8/10 · 17 January 2002]

They sounded like someone was playing some shoot-em-up game! Toby is trying to get away from Hong Kong and with some sort of a turbo mechanism built in his chest making him quite invincible he manages to escape through a lot of plots in order to reach some buyers in USA wanting the turbo-drive machine. Some poor idiot named Malik is sitting in a bar thinking his life can NOT get any worse and then Toby just pops by to make him realize he thought wrong. Excellent action scenes, good comedy and I don't think I have seen Mark Dacascos ever been in so many great fight scenes before. Worth a watch 8 out of 10!

I can't drive 55...

[fmarkland32 · 7/10 · 15 July 2007]

Mark Dacascos stars as Toby Wong, a genetically altered soldier who escapes from the Chinese corporation that built him and is on the run from thugs looking to return him back, also on board is Kadeem Hardison who becomes Dacascos' hostage and partner while top notch martial arts action ensues. Drive is certainly a fun movie, filled with non-stop martial arts, kinetically staged shoot outs and a good performance from Dacascos in the role. What really hurts Drive is its far too jokey tone which is just too much to take. The dialog and would be humor is too obvious and the movie really only comes to life when Dacascos springs back in action. This of course isn't that much of a problem, as it's not much of a problem that the villains are underwritten and the movie is often vague in its science fiction elements, Drive is a very enjoyable B.movie, certainly among straight to video movies, however this could've been easily a four star movie had it just not strained so hard to be funny. Don't let me get the wrong idea that this is not a good movie, it is, in fact it's a great B.movie it's just a flaw that sort of bothered my otherwise pleasing viewing of Drive.

* * * out of 4-(Good)

action straight to video

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 31 July 2016]

Toby Wong (Mark Dacascos) stowaways from Hong Kong on a freighter to America. He is escaping from the Chinese government who installed a prototype "biological energy module" in his chest. They are trying to recapture him without killing him or shooting him in the chest. Orders are given to Chinese operatives and local hired thug Vic Madison to shoot him only in the legs. Toby brings the fight to a local bar where Malik Brody (Kadeem Hardison) is hanging out. Toby takes Malik hostage. They get arrested by fake cops and handcuffed. They manage to escape. Toby is trying to get to L.A. to sell the module for $5 million and offers half to Malik. At a road side motel, they meet hyper-active clerk Deliverance Bodine (Brittany Murphy).

This is a straight to video movie with a certain B-movie charm. There is plenty of fight action and gun action. Dacascos' charisma is limited but better than many. Hardison is a lesser black sidekick. Brittany Murphy comes in much later around 45 minutes and really camps it up for about 30 minutes. It's a mindless popcorn action movie that has some weird camp fun value. Although Murphy needs to stay in more of the movie to maintain its campiness. Dacascos' singing is the bad kind of camp.

Exemplary Martial-Arts Action

[crimsonfury · 26 August 2003]

[Action/Martial-Arts - Graphic Violence/Profanity - 10 out of 10]

Unlike most Hollywood produced martial-arts movies in which fights seem toned down and silly rather than exciting, this movie shows a strong tie to older and much more "alive" martial arts movies in that the fights are strong and unhindered leaving a truly amazing style. This could be the reason why it has won two international film awards and has been called the best martial arts done by a western studio.

Aside from the normal dose of corny jokes and lack of consistent acting expertise, this movie is true to the genre of martial-arts. The fight-choreography done by Koichi Sakamoto and his team alone should make this a film worth watching. The main character (played by a skilled martial-arts actor) goes through no less than five large fight scenes worthy of anything done by Jet Li or Jackie Chan. The ending fight scene prominently displays some of the best and most powerful hits that I have ever seen on screen. My favorite fight sequence is inside a hotel room when four men attack the main character in a space no larger than 20 square feet. I've never really seen a fight that cramped before. The fight itself is very fluid and the moves in the close-quarters battle are outstandingly original.

As for plot, I find it pretty original. The very basic summary is this: a man with an implant in his chest that triples strength and increases stamina is being hunted by the organization that put it there in order to stop him before he sells it to a rival corporation. Along the way he meets up with someone that could use the money that he is offered and an instant friendship is created in-between non-stop attacks on their person. The Director's Cut offers more plot-explanation as well as an original score but that is not the version that is being reviewed.

I'd like to compare `Drive' to some other movies but I can't think of anything like it. `Rush Hour' perhaps, due to it's Asian/American tag team action. `Drive' definitely excels in choreography and action but not in character chemistry or plot. Another movie that comes to mind is `The One' with one of the main characters possessing the ability to move faster and outmaneuver the opposition. The only difference is that `Drive' does not use computer effects in order to show the supremacy of the main character's skills. I believe that `Drive' is an original film that excels beyond anything it is similar to.

This relatively unknown masterpiece has raised my expectations for all martial-arts/action movies like The Matrix raised the bar for action. If one cannot see how this movie surpasses the others in its genre, then they should be fine with watching such films as `Shanghai Noon' or `Kiss of the Dragon' and leave `Drive' to those that can truly appreciate it's unique qualities.

Excellent martial arts action, good characters

[cjstanford-65097 · 7/10 · 10 March 2023]

This is one of those "let's root for the underdog team", who have plenty of B dialogue and fun diversions. Give them some "help" from quirky friends. And don't overdue the menace factor (oh well, a bit am too much of the SMERSH and CHAOS merger. Plenty of violence and blood, but they obviously held back. This was a great beginning of a series, but I haven't figured out if it died. The formula was not novel at all but we still have to decipher who are the good gymuys, or even if there are any. Mean while how will this excessively good looking Asian male imbedded with super warrior technology and a winning personality and busting with empathy and honestly get by. Maybe his well balanced, funny, brave African American sidekick with visions of being a novelist and good father/husband will help. Don't miss unless Hollywood formula firms are too low brow. Otherwise this is a great family film with PG 13 kids perfect with popcorn , candy and drinks other than from a soda fountain.

The quality action scenes make it

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 4 July 2016]

A vehicle for Mark Dacascos's martial arts talents cunningly masquerading as a thriller, this basic actioner has little plot to speak of and no real acting. What it does have are a string of incredible martial arts sequences, the likes of which have never been seen before in an American film, which make it extremely enjoyable. Not bad for a DTV flick, and ever since interest in the martial arts resurfaced after the blockbuster hit THE MATRIX, this even went so far as to get a DVD release!

Things kick off with Dacascos arriving in the US after stowing away on a boat. Immediately he's up to his neck in bad guys who want to shoot him in the legs. After a battle on the boat, he escapes to a bar, where another gun fight ensues and Dacascos takes out about ten of the enemy single-handedly. He hooks up with a failed black writer, who provides much of the film's comic relief, and the two go on the run. They variously get handcuffed together, fight off more bad guys, hide in a motel which is then exploded and finally take on the entire force of baddies in a karaoke bar (a location which also gives the supremely talented Dacascos time to work on his warbling skills).

I would instantly say that this has to be Mark Dacascos' best film. Since DRIVE, he has starred in cheap rip-offs (DNA), and loads of straight-to-video trash (THE BASE, SABOTAGE, etc.). This is the only film where he really impresses with his fighting skills, as none of the other flicks really give him a chance. His acting range may be limited, but he's a nice enough guy and the things he does with his body to turn it into a weapon are phenomenal. Here, Dacascos has strong support from Kadeem Hardison who excels in his comic relief role, Brittany Murphy, who makes the most of her seductive young girl in love with Hardison, and a whole slew of comic-book villains.

For action fans, this is a must see. Sure, there's a fair share of huge explosions and gun fights, but the martial arts fights are the things that really work. From a battle in a motel room where Dacascos takes on about twenty men armed with electric shock prods to the final, prolonged battle between our hero and an advanced super model, things never let up. Super-fast editing, cool stunts and lots of wacky situations (one bad guy gets his arm cut off with a chainsaw, and then the severed limb manages to shoot him!) make this one to watch. Highly recommended!

Hidden Gem!

[chrichtonsworld · 8/10 · 19 March 2007]

This unknown movie maybe one of the best action movies I have seen. To my surprise everything works. Mark Dacascos is great. This is one of the few where he has gotten the chance to show what he can do. Kadeem Harrison isn't annoying in the supporting role and has some good chemistry with Dacascos. Even Brittany Murphy performs well. Although again she plays a socially awkward but endearing character. I wonder how much of that is acted and how much of it is real. It is very fascinating since it is hard to tell whether she is insane or just happily disturbed.

Like I said the action is top notch. MD delivers on this front like he did in Crying Freeman. Very reminiscent of Hong Kong style action. And this should not be a total surprise since Koichi Sakamoto and the Alpha Stunt Team was behind the stunts for Drive. They were attached to the Power Rangers franchise if that means anything to you. The martial arts sometimes is used in combination with wireworks. But it is not obvious. In this way it intensifies the action scenes. I must admit that the climax: fight between MD and other "super" man could have been much longer but still it is a great finale. The main highlight is the sequence in the motel where we get introduced to Brittanny Murphy's character. It's a very long but very rewarding scene interchanged with a lot of comedic bits. For a low budget production the movie looks great. The plot is adequate and provides a good background for the main characters. (At least it was in my version: director's cut).

Overall it is a very fun and fast paced movie and still holds up today.

The good Drive film

[dworldeater · 7/10 · 13 February 2013]

Not to be confused with the boring artsy movie with the same title . This Drive came first and has all the entertainment value the other Drive lacks . While this direct to video action/comedy won't blow anyones mind, it definitely delivers the goods for action. Drive is very fast paced Hong Kong styled action movie . Actor/martial artist Mark Dacascos is on the run from a rogue government corporation from Hong Kong that want to recover a bio energy module placed in his chest. He kidnaps Kadeem Hardinson to drive him to LA and remove /sell the module for 5 million dollars.In the process of getting to their destination they are pursued by a bad guy that looks like Ted Nugent and there are lots of fine choreographed fights and John Woo styled shootouts.As far as direct to video action flicks go , Drive is better than most. Mark Dacascos is very under rated as well and deserves more larger , wide release film projects.

Finally, a low budget action film that delivers the goods

[akargan · 10/10 · 8 December 1998]

After years of watching the most blatantly stupid straight-to-video action films this turns up. Without a doubt the best U.S. produced martial arts movie I've seen. The stunt co-ordinator and stunt team are right up there with their Hong Kong counterparts. It's good to see that Dacascos is finally given a chance to shine; I always thought that he was better than the material that was given to him and here he is able to prove it. Woodbine also shines in what is basically an odd couple/buddy action flick. The rapport of the two actors rises the movie over the cliched screenplay. The action scenes were very kenetic and fluid Steve Wang did a kick-**s job. Go rent it now.

Incredible action

[bth2004 · 6/10 · 12 February 2006]

This is one of Dacascos' best films (unspeakable shame that most of his stuff is straight-to-video). First let's dispense with the downside. The main shame of this is that the effects are pretty cheesy and some of the scenes are absurd: primarily the Britney Murphey cheering section of the film (her involvement at all is nothing to brag about) and the singing portions in the bar at the end.

Now the upside: this is some of the best action that Dacascos has ever done. His fight sequences are phenomenal (except that he can't shoot a gun worth crap, but then he doesn't really need to); the fight with the cronies at the hotel and the advanced model at the end are spectacular. Kadeem Hardison is a pretty good sidekick. Even the acting in much of the film is nothing to complain about (except again for Britney Murphey playing her moron character with a crush on Kadeem).

Don't approach this movie with much intellect. Just go with a desire to see some incredible martial arts action and a couple of good explosions and you will enjoy yourself.

The ultimate in ordinary

[=G= · 4/10 · 3 January 2003]

"Drive" is about what you'd expect given the cast and crew. A hacked, trite, cliche story with Dacascos out in front as a bionic dude with some super-secret thingy in his chest which everyone seems to want to kill to get. The result is a seemingly endless drone of drab drama with a spritz of cornball humor and long martial arts sequences by rote, some ordinary firefights with ample pyro, and no airborne autos or sex/nudity. Nothing special in "Drive" making it something to avoid unless you're a diehard martial arts or action junkie. (C-

Not In Neutral

[DaveKerr · 10/10 · 14 February 2003]

I saw drive after a friend recommended it to me. I blindly bought this film with lots of curiosity, and not much else. What I was presented with was quite a surprise. I was treated to a film that, in spite of its low budget, managed to shine and show the viewer some of the best action sequences I've ever seen. Kadeem Hardison shows his comic talents as a Chris Tucker type (without the effeminate voice) who's been kidnapped by enhanced assassin Toby (played by Mark Dacascos). This feels a lot like a more violent, foul-mouthed version of Rush Hour, but in a good way. In fact, it pre-dates Brett Ratner's Rush Hour. I guess the plot's reasonably important; super-soldier enhanced by implant in his chest escapes from Hong Kong to San Francisco, but bad guys chase him and want him back alive. Super-soldier is forced to kidnap bar fly/wise-cracker for a ride and the two soon form a friendship and make their way to LA where super-soldier will get loads of cash for implant. This film has heart, it has humour, it has action. It's probably director Steve Wang's best work and it's thoroughly enjoyable. The actors all work hard and it looks far more expensive than it actually cost. However, I will say this; avoid the version that was edited for TV, get yourself a copy of the Director's Cut. It's far superior and doesn't have it's heart and soul ripped out. If you love action, and you love humour then definitely see this film! Dave's Rating ***** out of *****

If I'd Only Seen This Before Seeing "Rush Hour"

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 21 October 2020]

Before we got Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in "Rush Hour," we got Mark Dacascos and Kadeem Hardison in "Drive." The similarities between them were more than the differences.

"Drive" was good but it was no "Rush Hour." It lacked the budget, the script, and most of all, it lacked Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker.

"Drive" starts off on a dock in the San Francisco Bay Area. Your immediate thoughts will be, "What is going on?" There's a man trying to evade these armed Chinese gangsters who are shooting at his feet! Why in the world would they be shooting at his feet with automatic weapons instead of just shooting him?

Not too much later, after we learn that this man is Toby Wong (Dacascos), we learn that he has a bio engine implanted in his body. It is a biological energy module which a Chinese firm developed and they want it back. This bio engine gives Toby super strength and speed. A corporation in L.A. wants to buy the implant for $5M and China wants to stop it. Malik Brody (Hardison) is trying to help Toby get to L.A.

The movie got better as it went along. I didn't know what to make of it at first hence my apprehensiveness in taking a liking to it. But like Tucker (just not as good), Hardison was funny and like Chan, Dacascos was athletic and skilled in kung-fu. I think had I seen this in 1997 before seeing "Rush Hour" I would've had a greater appreciation for it.

How did this slip under my radar?

[hipcheck · 4/10 · 2 August 2003]

I just have to convey how shocked I am after seeing this on cable late at night, and discovering how much The Matrix lifted from it. My hero worship of the Wachowski Bros has taken a serious hit after realizing that they took not only concepts but some of the major fighting bits straight of of this film. I'm not against influences or allusions, but there's some serious thievery going on.

Not that this doesn't happen all the time -- not that Star Wars isn't a great movie despite taking so much from Hidden Fortress; not that the Gladiator OST isn't great despite virtually copying Holst's The Planets; but Resevoir Dogs is crap because there's nothing original to it.

Now, Matrix is still fantastic filmmaking, and Drive is pretty crappy (although still impressive for the budget), but I'm massively disappointed to see that things like the subway fight and elements like the 'fist bouquet' and moves like Neo's flexing dust off his shirt are all stolen from this movie that not many people see.

The question is, do the brothers credit Drive at all? I know they talk about their references in general, but have they mentioned this? I'd hate to think of them in the same light as someone like Tarantino, who steals and gives no credit.