Movie Review: 'Getaway'

** 1/2 out of 5
90 minute
Rated PG-13 for intense action, violence and mayhem throughout, some rude gestures, and language
Warner Bros. Pictures

Article first published as Movie Review: 'Getaway' on Blogcritics.

If the word “redonkulous” exists for any kind of movie, it’s Getaway. Packed with exciting car chases, car crashes, and plot holes big enough to drive all of those cars through, no other word could possibly explain the level of ridiculousness. With Getaway, starring Ethan Hawke and Selena Gomez, you should have a feeling for what you’re gonna get. There is some fun to be had. It’s just too bad that the characters feel the need to stop driving and chit chat between the awesome action scenes. After watching the film, a colleague said Getaway should have been called Shut Up and Drive and he couldn’t be more right. But then again, Getaway also shows a strong case for truth in advertising, if you catch my drift.

Ex-race car driver Brent Magna (Hawke) has come home to find his wife Leanne (Rebecca Budig) is missing and a mysterious caller—credited as The Voice (Jon Voight)—places him behind the wheel of a tricked-out Shelby Super Snake. The Voice explains that he is going to be given a set of tasks throughout the night and they must be followed or Leanne will be killed. With every cop in Sofia, Bulgaria hot on Brent’s tail, in steps The Kid (Selena Gomez), getting herself stuck in the middle. The Voice ups the ante and forces Brent to take her along. Turns out the Shelby belongs to The Kid. She wants it back and is willing to give Brent whatever The Voice wants because she’s rich. But all Brent wants is his wife back. If you think the coincidence of the car belonging to the rich Kid is simply just that, think again. It’s even dumber than that.

Director Courtney Solomon has come a long way from his first two outings: Dungeons & Dragons and An American Haunting. Solomon delivers some of the best car crashes filmed in years. While the Fast and Furious franchise thinks they have everything locked in place, Solomon may find himself taking the series out for a spin someday. Just the fact that he uses real cars certainly makes the proceedings, while as outlandish as they may be, really fun to watch. The man has thought up some incredible ways of crashing cars sending metal flying everywhere.

The screenplay by Sean Finegan and Gregg Maxwell Parker is as ludicrous as you can imagine. The ending isn’t even a cheat; it simply doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. Getaway is the very definition of big and dumb—it just needs to be a little more fun. The Voice exclaims “shizer” on multiple occasions as Brent and The Kid attempt to foil his well-laid plans, and you’ll be saying the same thing too as things get progressively dumber. But anyone going to see Getaway is going for the action, and once the characters finally shut up, the film is off to the races.

Photos courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures