The Movie
A throwback to the high-octane car chase movies of the '70s (Race with the Devil certainly comes to mind), Drive Angry 3D stars Oscar-winner/paycheck-grabber Nicolas Cage, his stone scowl now bestowed upon a scruffy character named John Milton. Milton's a dad whose daughter was killed after fleeing a satanic cult, and now her baby daughter is going to be sacrificed by the cult leader beneath the full moon in two days time in order to claim the power of Hell. Or so he thinks. The race to Louisiana--site of the ritual--is on, with fists and bullets (and sometimes cars) flying.
It's bad enough that someone with the opportunities of a Nic Cage seems hopelessly devoted to making popcorn movies exclusively, but then he's not even especially memorable in them. Far more interesting is William Fichtner as "The Accountant," an is-he-or-isn't-he-a-bad-guy nemesis reminiscent of his Prison Break persona. And most guys' eyes will be on the lovely Amber Heard as Milton's traveling companion Piper, a feisty waitress with guts, a good heart and a sweet ride.
Despite Tom Fugali's middling estimation of Drive Angry 3D, I found it enjoyable in its own unapologetic way. Be warned that it is as mean as the title suggests, particularly in its disturbing depiction of the unchivalrous treatment of women. The only really goofy bit was the fact that every TV everywhere carried the same news story, about the cult leader and the kid. But for balls-to-the-wall, R-rated three-dimensional violence, Drive Angry 3D is worth pulling over for.
The Picture
"3D" is fittingly the movie's surname as it was planned and shot digitally for three-dimensional presentation, not converted mid-production or after the fact like some films, with multiplane elements seemingly incorporated into almost every shot. It's a pleasing balance of you-are-there realism and old-school, in-your-face 3D effects.
The quality of the 16:9 image is outstanding, with plenty of detail and sufficiently nuanced blacks, limited somewhat by the lower light levels of modern 3D technology. Subtle aspects like the deliberate scan lines in a flashback (Milton remembers in interlaced video?) and faint reflections in glass are well-maintained. I noted no significant noise or ringing or other flaws per se, just very slight ghosting/crosstalk issues.
The Sound
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack is also first-rate. There's a powerful directionality to the revving engines barreling down the highway, backed by welcome bass which also makes the occasional explosions rock. There are plenty of discrete touches in the mix and a slick spread to the musical score as well as the ambience of a live band in a nightclub.
The action audio is every bit as aggressive (if not angry) as we would expect, with debris and weapons and body parts flying past. There are also nifty moments as when a voice bounces/phases around the room, and a terrific 360-degree sonic feast that mates perfectly with a conspicuous 3D showoff shot late in the movie.
The Extras
The second disc in this set, a standard 2D Blu-ray Disc, is where most of the bonus content can be found. In addition to a running audio commentary from director/writer Patrick Lussier and writer/supporting player Todd Farmer, there are two deleted scenes with optional commentary, about a-minute-and-a-half together, in HD, although both could be considered inconsequential.
"Access: Drive Angry" however is in excellent Bonus View "interactive viewing experience" that can tally Milton's carnage, plus display relevant trivia/facts and filmmaker interviews over the movie, and we can select any or all of these different feeds. The last Summit Entertainment disc I reviewed, RED, has a similar Bonus View "Access" feature: This is a studio that really gets Blu-ray.
Impressively, both discs in this set are also BD-Live-enabled.
Final Thoughts
Dark, nasty, but destined to be a guilty pleasure, Drive Angry 3D is a kick-ass road trip in a helluva-good Blu-ray edition with turbo-charged audio, video and extras.
Product Details
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