Breathtaking Race Scenes, But Ultimately Disappointing

Rating: Null/10 (24 November 2001)

Good old Sly Stallone. He sure has put up with a lot of criticism over the past few years, but he's a good sport, and if anything proves that, it's Driven.
I missed this flick in the theaters, and just now caught up with it on DVD. I was well aware of the bad rep this movie has, and I was the most eager to see what the big fuss was. You have Stallone, a seasoned action star in a film helmed by Renny (Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea) Harlin. Could it really be that bad?
The answer is no. In fact, I found myself getting into the film in many scenes. Unfortunately, the race scenes were the only ones. The race scenes are, in a word, stunning. The effects do go a bit overboard at times, but overall they are loud, well-shot, and most importantly, exciting.
What is so questionable here is the screenplay. Sly wrote the whole shebang, and it shows. These are some of the most paper-thin characters I have ever seen onscreen. We don't really care about the well-being of any of them, which is not good in a story that has many takes on relationships woven around Indy racing. The dialogue is as stale as three month old crackers, and the acting is very sub-par.
But there's always the argument of "who cares? People will want to see this movie for the race scenes." Understandable. I think that argument holds up well for Days Of Thunder, another racing film. However, the dry romances and dialogue get in the way of this movie, and that is why it did not fully succeed for me.
Overall, this film is not near as bad as its reputation. The production values are top drawer, but a bottom drawer screenplay rained on the parade.
C