Review by Bob Ignizio
Retired racecar driver Brent Magna (Ethan Hawke) speeds around an
Eastern European city in an armored Shelby Mustang Super Snake
wreaking havoc while getting chased by police cars. Unwillingly along
for the ride is an unnamed young girl (Selina Gomez) who just happens
to be a computer whiz. Both driver and passenger are at the mercy of
an unseen bad guy who has kidnapped Magna's wife, all part of a
completely ludicrous heist plot.
There really isn't much in the way of story or acting or any other
boring stuff like that in GETAWAY.
Just lots of car chases and car crashes occasionally broken up by
brief bits of expository dialogue and witty repartee on the level of,
“I hate you.” It's not much of a movie, but I do at least have to
commend the filmmakers for steering clear of the CGI and doing all
the stunts for real. Unfortunately the editing is so fast you seldom
get to really savor the smash-ups, so even on that basic primal level
the film fails.
The final nail in the coffin is
the awful chemistry between Hawke and Gomez. They're basically doing
their take on the mismatched partner thing, and the constant insults
hurled by Gomez at Hawke are blandly written and incompetently
delivered. So of course the film drags out the antagonism between the
two characters long past the point where it becomes insufferable. And
when the inevitable transformation of their relationship to one of
grudging respect and friendship does finally occur, it feels forced,
arbitrary, and utterly unconvincing.
One has to feel a little sorry
for Hawke; a respectable actor with mid level star power, he can
still topline a theatrical release, but it's almost always a clunker
like this one. As for Ms. Gomez, she's in way over her head in what
amounts to a co-leading role, with every line, expression, and
gesture coming across as obvious and unnatural. There's another actor
of some note who plays the main bad guy, but since his identity is
meant to be a surprise I won't spoil it. Let's just say I don't feel
sorry for him like I do Hawke as he's clearly just picking up a
paycheck for doing minimal work.
Director Courtney Solomon
generally keeps himself busy as a producer of B and lower grade
horror and action films, only occasionally deigning to step into the
director's chair himself (the forgettable AN AMERICAN
HAUNTING and DUNGEONS
& DRAGONS). Most of the
films he produces go straight to home video which, glossy production
values and big stunts aside, is where GETAWAY
should have wound up, too. Even in that less demanding arena, though,
one should still be able to expect more even out of a big dumb action
movie than what we get here. 1 out of 4 stars.
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