DRIVE (1997)

MORGAN'S RATING

Recently-downsized, hard-on-his-luck Malik Brody nurses his woes in a bar, but the trouble only worsens when another patron grabs Malik and uses him as a human shield to escape capture by gun-toting thugs! Yikes! It turns out that his abductor is on the run from a greedy, soul-sucking biotech corporation that wants a special chip that's implanted in his chest. And like most greedy, soul-sucking corporations, they'll kill to get what they want. So now the two men have to fight their way out...alive.

Mark Dacascos (Toby Wong), Kadeem Hardison (Malik Brody), John Pyper-Ferguson (Vic Madison), Brittany Murphy (Deliverance Bodine), Tracey Walter (Hedgehog), James Shigeta (Mr. Lau), Masaya Kato (Advanced Model), Dom Magwili (Mr. Chow), Ron Yuan (Razor Scarred), Clive Rosengren (Cantwell), Christopher Michael (Jeb), Ted Smith (Joss), Tedd Szeto (Receptionist / Assistant), R.A. Mihailoff (Singing Trucker), David Watts (Apollo Bartender), CeCe Tsou (Leung Communication), Nelson Mashita (Crane Operator), Sanaa Lathan (Carolyn Brody), Herb Mitchell, Steve Viall (Troopers), Joe Unger (Waterfront Bartender), Johnny Martin (Conte), Warren A. Stevens (Oates), Chuck Borden (Buchholz), Sean Moran (Boothe), Erich Martin von Hicks (O'Neal), Chris DeRose (Van Beeber), David Hayter, Howard Flaherty (Cops), Geoff Edwards (Game Show Host), Kimberly E. Goltry, Kerrie Clark (Contestants), Bob Burns (Doctor / Co-Pilot).

THERE AIN'T NO CRUISE CONTROL.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

DIRECTOR: Steve Wang. WRITER: Scott Phillips. PRODUCERS: Mitsuru Kurosawa and Michael Leahy. CO-PRODUCERS: W.K. Border, Cathryn James and Don Phillips. EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Taka Ichise and Joel Soisson. ORIGINAL MUSIC: Walter Werzowa. DISTRIBUTOR: Ardustry Home Entertainment LLC.

QUOTES

Malik: Let's kick his ass and take his coat!

Vic: Look, it's my favorite cheese-eating dickmonkey.

FACTS

Malik: Funny, 'cause the image that Americans have in China is that's it's a country full of people with very little feet, and they run around and kick the shit out of each other everyday. Toby: Well that's the same image we have of America, except you guys have big feet and kick the shit out of each other less gracefully. Malik: Yeah, I can see that.

RELEASE DATE: August 11th, 1998 (USA) (VIDEO PREMIERE) BUDGET: $4.2 million (USA)

CRITICAL COMMENTS

Bartender: The truth hurts, baby.

"What a pleasant surprise, then, that Drive is such a good movie. This US/Japanese co-production wants nothing more than to be a Hong Kong-inspired American martial arts movie, made with great aplomb, including some wacky character performances, exhilarating fight sequences, and one-liners fired like so much popcorn from a movie-theater kettle." -- Stomp Tokyo

Toby: Just shoot us Madison, don't bore us to death.

Vic: We've been doing this shit for a long time, you can tattoo that on your ass!

Toby: Let's go let's go! Malik: We are going, this ain't the Batmobile.

"I would instantly say that this has to be Mark Dacascos' best film ... for action fans, this is a must see. Sure, there's a fair sare of huge explosions and gun fights, but the martial arts fights are the things that really work." -- Grim Reapers' Movie Guide

Vic: Son of a bitch can eat flouer and shit cupcakes!

Malik: I think we've done all the damage we could here, wanna go blow up something in LA?