Following up on ‘John Wick’, the sequel, ‘John Wick: Chapter Two’ is an action-flick extraordinaire. Keanu Reeves leads as a former assassin who must come out of a happily married retirement while they are still newlyweds. Reeves dominates the action star role with finesse, reminding us why we watch suspense thrillers. The humor is spot on. Directed by Chad Stahelski, the 2017 flick ‘John Wick: Chapter Two’ also stars Common, Laurence Fishburne, Ricardo Scamarcio and Ruby Rose.
For those of us who are car freaks, what is even more exciting than Wick’s assassin impulses are the cars he drives. Prominently featured is a Mach 1 Mustang. Other classics include a 1970 Chevelle SS 454 and a 1969 Mustang Boss 429 that was stolen from the ruthless Wick. (You can bet he wants it back!) He employs his Chevelle for the task. Stay tuned for one of the best ever car scenes. It took about eight takes, but the jump and drift out of the narrow warehouse opening was worth destroying one of the film production Mustangs.
Taxi Driver
'Taxi Driver' is legendarily Robert De Niro’s breakout film and the start of his long and dear collaboration with Martin Scorsese. De Niro’s role as the slightly whacked Vietnam vet, Travis Bickle, earned him his first Best Actor Academy Award nomination. Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, and Cybill Shepherd starred in the 1976 neo-noir psych thriller. Most memorable, arguably, is De Niro’s enduring line, “You talkin’ to me?”
Travis Bickle’s 1974 checkered taxicab is the leading car in this film. Taking a ride in the back of his mind is a creepy and sordid affair. The action gets heated when Bickle’s vigilante tendencies find him rescuing a young girl from a life of prostitution. He gets himself in a world of trouble, but he’s hailed as a hero for his efforts.
Locke
A juiced-up BMW moves the story of 'Locke' down the road, along with its main character. Behind the wheel is Tom Hardy playing Ivan Locke. He is supposed to go home for dinner with his family, but when he gets a call from his wife wondering when he’ll return from work, he says, “I need you to hold it together.” Obviously, she asks what happened. All she hears back is, “I’ll fix it, and it’ll all go back to normal.” He doesn’t come home that night nor return to work the next day.
Even though a car shines front and center, this 2014 film is less about wild car chase action and more about delving into the deeper passageways of Locke’s complicated consciousness. Have no fear, the dramatic dialogue—a lot of monologue—doesn’t leave you high and dry, a bit of humor is waiting at every turn. 'Locke' is a mystery-suspense drama that will have you reaching to grab the wheel.
Rush
This movie is directed by Ron Howard and stars Chris Hemsworth. Those two facts alone should get you rushing to see this 2014 historical drama about two entrenched rivals battling it out at the 1976 Formula One season. Rush portrays James Hunt (Hemsworth) in a locked competition with Niki Lauda (Daniel Brül). One is an English playboy and the other is a diligent Austrian racer.
The thrill of winning and the addiction to speed drive racers, but it’s a dangerous calling. And why don’t they make it safer? As James Hunt says, “The risk of death turns people on.” 'Rush' looks inward too. At one point, Hunt warns, “Don’t go to men who are willing to kill themselves driving in circles looking for normality.” It’s a philosophical look at death that risks it anyway.
Death Race 2000
Mr. Frankenstein is a national hero in the effed-up futuristic world of 'Death Race 2000' (1975). Costumed like Batman, save for the perky ears, any vestige of a moral world in this film is held by him. Yet, he’s the most ruthless competitor of all. He’s a winner. Past wins took their toll. He’s lost three limbs, and that’s not all. Undeterred, he told his navigator he lost his “right eye in ninety-five, and my nose and my left eye in ninety-seven, and most of my cranium in ninety-eight. I’m held together with patches of plastic and steel plates.” The 2000 race finds him equipped with a newly installed mechanical right arm, engineered for lightning-fast precise shifting.
The cartoonish film takes place during the post-collapse era of the “world crash of ‘79.” It’s a parody of competitive, winner-takes-all American ideals that drives it to its logical conclusion. We wouldn’t have an American story without fan clubs who cheer on the blood sport car race and political protesters who rail against it. The President declares the coast-to-coast race the most popular sporting event in the history of mankind. The protesters call it a gratuitous display of inhumane violence, and the claim is not far off. The transnational race, a race to the death, destination LA, is based on a point system. Running over and killing an elderly person scores 100 points. Toddlers are worth 70. But it has a happy ending.