"Gone in 60 Seconds" -- Fast Cars but A Story that Stalls by Homer Yen (c) 2000
This is a note to the marketing execs of this film. Stop promoting it by taking out television and newspaper ads. Instead, concentrate your advertising dollars in such magazines as Car & Driver, Motor Trend, or Hot Rod. "Gone in 60 Seconds" is the kind of film to which car enthusiasts will flock. Featuring a bevy of exotic cars and high performance vehicles, it gives you a chance to see seldom seen top-of-the line cars that you could only dream of owning. However, to the rest of us non-enthusiasts, which is about 98% of us, this is a film that is need of a tune-up. Its cars move faster than the story and their sleek looks are more memorable than any of the characters.
The film would have you believe that it stars Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, and Giovanni Ribisi. But its real stars are the Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis. And there are plenty of them. An auto theft ring led by Kip Raines (Ribisi) is targeting these beauties and a few other specialty cars. Kip has been hired by a local crime boss who is not the kind of man that believes in mercy or forgiveness. Kip feels up to the task and accepts the difficult job. However, he's young, brash, and lacks the experience to pull off such a hefty assignment. Eventually, one of his 'boosts' goes awry. The police discover and confiscate Kip's stolen cars. Although he eludes the police, he still must answer to the crime boss, who promises Kip an agonizing death unless he can deliver.
Nicolas Cage plays Kip's older brother, Memphis, who was a legendary car thief in his own time. Now, he makes an honest living, but is forced back into a life of crime in order to save his brother. Memphis must steal 50 cars in 4 days; otherwise his brother will be killed. He quickly begins to assemble his team. They include, among others, trusted friend (Robert Duvall), and former love interest Sway (Angelina Jolie). They do some homework to locate the needed cars and they ready themselves for a one-night blitz where they hope to pull off a daring string of auto thefts.
For Memphis and his crew, stealing cars is like taking candy from a baby. They easily open locks, hot wire ignitions, disarm alarms, bypass circuitry and remove other theft-deterrent devices with surprising ease. However, Memphis still must contend with some serious issues if he is to succeed. A dogged detective (Delroy Lindo) knows that he's up to no good and has deployed surveillance teams out to watch over several of the vehicles targeted for theft. Competing car thieves who do not welcome Memphis's reappearance want him to leave town. And, to be able to make the deadline, all of the thefts would have to go smoothly, which is virtually impossible.
The only fun part of the film occurs in the last 25 minutes as Memphis races against time and a squadron of police cars to deliver the last car. This is actually an impressively designed chase sequence, taking us through congested city streets and a construction zone where our hero has to dodge various debris and even a wrecking ball. But "Gone in 60 Seconds" is remarkably slow for a film that seems like it will showcase lots of chase sequences and the charisma reminiscent of "Smokey and the Bandit." Sadly, with its goofy and underwhelming characterizations, this film starts to feel more like "The Dukes of Hazzard."
Grade: C
S: 1 out of 3 L: 1 out of 3 V: 1 out of 3
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