Driven (DVD) > Reviews > A load of Drivel

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Hated it
Story	Very weak
Characters / Performances	Weak
Special Effects	Standard
Soundtrack	Weak

Advantages:	Must have missed them .
Disadvantages:	Everything

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

Driven was the kind of film that promised much, but delivered nothing. OK, forget the fact that Sylvester Stallone was the starring vehicle, but how could a film about the high powered world of racing be boring? Director Renny Harlin certainly found a way of turning an exciting sport into a dull, lifeless event on the big screen.
There were aspects of the film that were so far fetched they made me laugh. The joy ride through the streets in their racing cars had me looking on in disbelief. Racing cars on the roads threading through commuting traffic was almost as unbelievable as Stallone's acting. The fact that there were no legal repercussions on the two drivers was very surprising, but maybe Mr. Bigshot Director believes that racing drivers are not included in such things as laws.
Another fact that concerned me was how Sly managed to fit into that tiny cockpit in the first place. He is not in great shape which makes me wonder why on earth the team boss would have wanted him back in the first place. A major factor of being a successful racing driver is fitness, and most of them are slightly built fitness freaks who weigh about half the amount that Sly does. He was totally unconvincing in his role, and to be honest from this performance he should really be considering retirement.
However, Sly was not the only bad actor. The lead character Jimmy Bly was boring to say the least and Burt Reynolds should stick to Evening Shade. The best character was Memo, the lovable Italian driver who injected the only humour into a script that should have been flushed down the toilet.
The directing was miserable - the fades and use of slow motion was so over dramatic and overworked. The film did not flow, and for my cinema companion the only part he liked were the very well shot car crashes. Most of the time, Sly slurred his words so much you were at a loss to hear what he was saying - not that you were missing much. The plot was as thin as Sly's hairline and most of it did not resemble the real world of racing by any stretch of the imagination.

Overall, the film was stuck in first gear; it never got going. Even the soundtrack was appalling, with Fat Boy Slim being the only half decent track on there. If I can advise cinemagoers out there, it would be to avoid this like the plague and go and see 'The Fast and the Furious' instead. That film has all the elements that Driven lacked, and definitely takes my chequered flag.