Review: Drive Angry on Blu-ray

Drive Angry is the latest film from Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer, the creative team behind My Bloody Valentine. Originally released in 3D, the supernatural film stars Nicholas Cage as a man who escapes hell to avenge the death of his daughter and save his granddaughter from a Satanic cult. Amber Heard is a girl who gets caught up in Cage's bloody mayhem, and William Fichtner plays the devil's accountant, sent to bring Cage back to hell.

REVIEW
The film is a mashup-homage (of sorts) to the street racing and grindhouse films of the 1970s. One would think that means we get the best of those movies with a modern twist, but it falls into the same trap those old movies suffered from. The story isn't great, it is needlessly offensive, and the characters aren't terribly compelling (with the exception of William Fichtner). The only thing going for it is the wide array of classic cars.

I am a fan of Nicholas Cage, and while he does his best to make his work, his character isn't very appealing. For the most part, the entire cast (with the exception of Fichtner) is annoying to the point of aggravation. Instead of being clever and original, it just feels tired. It does manage to entertain at different points, usually thanks to Cage and Fichtner, but it is uneven at best. I can only imagine the 3D was expected to make up for much of the film's shortcomings.

OBJECTIONABLE MATERIAL
Drive Angry is nearly wall-to-wall with offensive material. The profanity is thicker than oatmeal, and there are two graphic depictions of sex. The nudity is needlessly graphic, with several depictions of full frontal female nudity. Naked women show up for no apparent reason. During one human sacrifice, everyone is clothed, except for a couple of naked women who are dancing around for no particular reason.

The violence, as you might expect, is extremely graphic. However, it is one of the few times the movie shows any originality. It is actually amusing to see an air conditioner fall on a guy who was cheating on his girlfriend. Nicholas Cage delivers some just desserts to members of a Satanic cult, but at some point, the gore gets repetitive.

VIDEO AND AUDIO PRESENTATION
The video on the Blu-ray is exceptional. The image is sharp and the colors are deep and vivid. The film was shot in 3D, and while the quality of the cameras used is obvious, viewing the film in 2D isn't as distracting as you might think. You don't constantly get things thrown at the screen (although it does happen a few times).

The audio is DTS-HD 5.1 MA, so the soundtrack is active and surrounding. The music sounds great, and the sound effects do not overpower the speakers.

SPECIAL FEATURES
An audio commentary with director Patrick Lussier and writer Todd Farmer is included, as well as a few deleted scenes. The best feature, however, is the "Access: Drive Angry" extra, which pops up facts and video interviews with the cast and crew while you watch the movie. It also includes a "Milton's Mayhem" counter, which assign points every time Cage's character commits and act of violence. It is actually pretty entertaining, and, dare I say it, makes the movie better.

OVERALL GRADE: B+
While the movie itself isn't great, the high quality video and audio, as well as the great special features, elevate the grade of the Blu-ray overall. If you're a fan of horror films or anything Quentin Tarantino, you'll enjoy this film and won't be as offended over the content. If you liked My Bloody Valentine, this is more of the same, and you'll probably love it. Just don't say I didn't warn you.

Drive Angry is available on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on May 31, 2011.