A criminally underrated kung fu film, Drive succeeds because of Steve Wang’s blistering execution of Hong Kong style fight choreography, backed by glossy Hollywood production values. Wang’s film successfully covers a broad range, from the charming buddy cliches of mismatched duo Dacascos and Hardison – constantly on the run from the bad guys – to the extended fight scenes kitted out with a distinct fantasy edge. The film set the trend for the high octane US action movies to follow. It’s sort of Rush Hour meets The Matrix, although Drive predates both.
The story is obviously ridiculous. Dacascos’ bionic implant (which gives him special kung fu powers) is being reclaimed by the company who invented it, and along with Hardison the two travel to LA to pick up some cash in exchange for the mechanism. When Masaya Kato enters – an advanced model designed to take out Dacascos – the film builds into an extraordinary final showdown. Kato, equipped with shades and a trench coat, relies on sideline technicians to overload his martial powers as the two super-humans launch at each other, with fists and feet flying.
As contemporary martial arts cinema goes, Drive is a landmark picture.