"Drive" and it's disappointing driving scenes

Rating: 5/10 (19 March 2012)

A lot has been said about the obvious plot holes and the implausible love story - I totally agree with that and I also think, that "Drive" is an overrated movie. If you have seen the trailer, you've seen the movie. The rest of the scenes are just (nice) fillers.
But I just want to talk about the driving scenes, because they really destroyed the movie for me. How can you create an ambitious (love) story about a driver and then use such mediocre, de-energized and unrealistic driving scenes ?
OPENING SCENE: I just liked the idea of using the stadium to disappear in the crowd. But apart from this there was nothing special and not much tension. Nothing you would remind, nothing which made you think "wow". Just compare this with the gripping opening scenes of "Mad Max", "Heat" or "Point Break". You still can remember them, right? Director Refn just failed to give "Drive" such an remarkable, powerful opener.
PAWN SHOP SCENE: 1) How would you park your getaway car ? Towards the shop (so you have to do an u-turn) or towards the road you want to use to get away as quick as you can? 2) Our awesome driver can't outrun a Chrysler 300 with a Mustang GT on a winding road ? Hard to believe, even if the Chrysler is a SRT-8... 3 )You plan to rob a guy but you know he is an outstanding driver - would you try to catch him by car ?
BEACH SCENE: 1) You can ram a car off the road, but avoid to also jump off the road with your own car? Come on... 2) You ram a car off the road and your headlights will still work? Detroit steel must be really tough...
DUBBED ENGINE SOUND: The engine sounds are obviously dubbed and it's done in a really bad razzle-dazzle way: In the opening scene, you just hear the Impala revving up and shifting up very quickly - 2nd gear, 3rd gear, 4th gear, 5th gear. There is no way you will reach 5th or 6th gear in a urban car chase with packed streets. I guess it has just been dubbed to compensate a lack of tension and thrilling driving.
While the inboard scenes, there is also no down-shifting noise, no release of the throttle to take a corner. Compare this with Steve McQueens inboard scenes in "Bullitt" and you'll understand how ridiculous the driving scenes in "Drive" are...
I REALLY MISS... realistic, but thrilling car chases like in Bullitt, Vanishing Point, The French Connection,The Driver, Blues Brothers, What's up doc?, Christine and Death Proof. Unfortunately, this kind of old-school car chases seem to extinct for the sake of unrealistic crap for teens...