''Faster'' is a 2010 American
action thriller film
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
[ directed by George Tillman Jr. with ]Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the developm ...
and Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker and musician. He had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller ''One False Move'', and received international attention after writing, directing, a ...
as a criminal seeking vengeance and the corrupt cop who pursues him, respectively. Tom Berenger
Tom Berenger (born Thomas Michael Moore; May 31, 1949) is an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Staff Sergeant Bob Barnes in ''Platoon'' (1986). He is also known for playing Jake ...
, Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Oliver Mansour Jackson-Cohen (born 24 October 1986) is an English actor and model. He is best known for his role as Adrian Griffin in the 2020 adaptation of ''The Invisible Man'' and for his roles as Luke Crain and Peter Quint in the Netflix ...
, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (, ; born 22 August 1967) is an English actor, director, and former fashion model known for his roles as Lock-Nah in ''The Mummy Returns'', Nykwana Wombosi in '' The Bourne Identity'', Heavy Duty in '' G.I. Joe: The R ...
and Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino (; born August 29, 1971) is an American actress. After appearing in ''Troop Beverly Hills'' (1989) and ''This Boy's Life'' (1993), she received recognition for her starring roles as Ingrid Cortez in the ''Spy Kids'' trilogy (2001â ...
also appear. ''Faster'' was released on November 24, 2010, and grossed $35 million against production budget of $24 million.
Plot
On leaving prison James "Jimmy" Cullen retrieves his 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a mid-sized automobile that was produced by Chevrolet in three generations for the 1964 through 1978 model years. Part of the General Motors (GM) A-body platform, the Chevelle was one of Chevrolet's most successful ...
, a gun, and a list of names before heading to an office in Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...
and killing a man. He then visits Roy Grone, who gave him the car and gun, and forces him to give him more names. Meanwhile, Cullen is tracked by detectives Cicero and Humphries; a hitman
Contract killing is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or persons. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of payment, monetary or otherwise. Either party may be ...
known as âKillerâ is also hired to kill Cullen.
Cullen locates the second person on his list, Kenneth Tyson, who films his own personal snuff film
A snuff film, or snuff movie, or snuff video, is a type of film that shows, or purports to show, scenes of actual homicide. The concept of snuff films became known to the general public during the 1970s, when an urban legend alleged that a cland ...
s. After finding and killing Tyson, Cullen gets into a gunfight with Killer in the hallway, but manages to escape. This affects Killer philosophically, and, after proposing to his girlfriend, begins to take the task personally. Humphries and Cicero investigate Cullenâs past and discover he was double-crossed during a robbery. Cicero remembers him from a video of his older half-brother Gary's death filmed by Tyson, which depicts an unidentified man shooting Cullen in the head; he narrowly survives, and has a metal plate surgically implanted in his skull.
Cullen visits his former girlfriend, who knows he is killing those involved in the video. After revealing that she aborted their unborn child and has begun a new life, she wishes him well. At a strip club in Nevada Cullen stabs bouncer Hovis Nixon for his role in Garyâs death, but he manages to survive. Soon, both Humphries and Killer get word that Nixon is in the hospital. Knowing Cullen will go back to finish him off, they converge there.
Cullen enters the hospital and kills Nixon while he is in surgery. Humphries attempts to unsuccessfully bring down Cullen, but is spared when the latter sees his badge. While driving away from the hospital, Cullen encounters Killer where they get into a high-speed chase on the freeway, culminating in Killer shooting Cullen in the neck.
Eventually Cullen comes to believe that his father arranged to have him and Gary killed after they refused to share the money they stole in a bank robbery. However, Cullen finds out that his father died years before, and realises that it was Garyâs girlfriend who sold them out. The last man on his list is a traveling evangelist named Alexander Jerrod; after concluding his service, he is confronted by Cullen, but is spared after revealing that he has turned his life around and begging for forgiveness. Cullen is then confronted by Killer.
Cicero eventually learns the true identity of the man who shot Cullen, and she hurries to the church where Humphries is already on the scene. As Killer and Cullen confront each other, Humphries walks in and shoots Cullen in the head, revealing it was he who shot him in the video. He offers Killer the money for the job, but Killer declines, telling Humphries to never contact him again.
Humphries calls his wife, who is revealed to have been his informant while she was still Gary's girlfriend. Suddenly, he is shot and killed by Cullen, who survived due to his metal plate. Cicero arrives on the scene after Cullen leaves, and she covers up Humphriesâ involvement.
Cullen scatters Gary's ashes in the sea and drives off into the sunset, while Killer returns home to his wife; simultaneously, Jerrod begins a sermon on forgiveness.
Cast
* Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the developm ...
as Jimmy Cullen / Driver, a small-time criminal who avenges his brother's death.
* Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker and musician. He had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller ''One False Move'', and received international attention after writing, directing, a ...
as Detective Slade Humphries / Cop, a corrupt police detective responsible for the robbery and murder of Gary, Driver's brother.
* Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino (; born August 29, 1971) is an American actress. After appearing in ''Troop Beverly Hills'' (1989) and ''This Boy's Life'' (1993), she received recognition for her starring roles as Ingrid Cortez in the ''Spy Kids'' trilogy (2001â ...
as Detective Cicero, a police detective who works with Humphries.
* Oliver Jackson-Cohen
Oliver Mansour Jackson-Cohen (born 24 October 1986) is an English actor and model. He is best known for his role as Adrian Griffin in the 2020 adaptation of ''The Invisible Man'' and for his roles as Luke Crain and Peter Quint in the Netflix ...
as Killer, a hit-man hired by Slade to kill Driver.
* Maggie Grace
Margaret Grace Denig (born ) is an American actress and model. She is known for playing Shannon Rutherford on the ABC television series ''Lost'' (2004â2006; 2010), Kim Mills in the '' Taken'' trilogy (2008â2014), Irina in ''The Twilight Sa ...
as Lily, Killer's girlfriend and later, his wife.
* Moon Bloodgood
Korinna Moon Bloodgood (born September 20, 1975) is an American actress and model, known for her role as Lt. Blair Williams in the 2009 film ''Terminator Salvation'' and as Anne Glass in the TNT television series '' Falling Skies''.
Early life
...
as Marina Humphries
* Courtney Gains
Courtney Gains (born August 22, 1965) is an American character actor best known for his portrayal of Malachai in the 1984 horror movie '' Children of the Corn''.
Career
Gains achieved success during the 1980s with a variety of roles in films su ...
as Prescott Ashton / Telemarketer
* John Cirigliano as Kenneth Tyson / Old Guy
* Lester Speight
Lester Speight (born August 28, 1963), also known as Rasta, is a former American football player who has had subsequent careers as a professional wrestler and then actor. He achieved significant recognition for his portrayal of '' Terry Tate: Offi ...
as Hovis Nixon / Baphomet
* Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (, ; born 22 August 1967) is an English actor, director, and former fashion model known for his roles as Lock-Nah in ''The Mummy Returns'', Nykwana Wombosi in '' The Bourne Identity'', Heavy Duty in '' G.I. Joe: The R ...
as Alexander Jarod / Evangelist, a former criminal who is now a priest.
* Tom Berenger
Tom Berenger (born Thomas Michael Moore; May 31, 1949) is an American actor. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Staff Sergeant Bob Barnes in ''Platoon'' (1986). He is also known for playing Jake ...
as The Warden
* Mike Epps
Michael Elliot Epps (born November 18, 1970) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He played Day-Day Jones in ''Next Friday'' and its sequel, ''Friday After Next'', and also appeared in ''The Hangover'' and ''The Hangover Part III'' as "Bla ...
as Roy Grone
* Xander Berkeley
Alexander Harper Berkeley (born December 16, 1955) is an American actor and voice actor. Since beginning his career in the early 1980s, he has appeared in over 200 film and television projects. His film roles include '' Terminator 2: Judgment Da ...
as Sergeant Mallory
* Matt Gerald
Matt Gerald (born May 2, 1970) is an American actor and screenwriter.
Gerald was born in Miami, Florida. A graduate of The University of Pennsylvania, he is best known for his Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) roles as White Power Dave in ''All Ha ...
as Gary Cullen
* Annie Corley
Annie Corley (born 1960) is an American actress who has appeared in a wide variety of films and television shows since 1990. Her most notable role to date was playing the daughter of Meryl Streep's character in the film ''The Bridges of Madison ...
as Mrs. Cullen
* Jennifer Carpenter
Jennifer Carpenter is an American actress who is known for her role as Debra Morgan in the Showtime series '' Dexter'', for which she earned a Saturn Award in 2009, and also for playing Rebecca Harris in the CBS television series '' Limitless'' ...
as Nan Porterman
* Michael Irby
Michael Clinton Irby (born November 16, 1972) is an American actor known for portraying Sergeant First Class Charles Grey in the CBS series ''The Unit'' (2006â2009), and more recently, for his work as Obispo 'Bishop' Losa in '' Mayans M.C.'' ...
as Vaquero
Production
''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' reported in May 2009 that Dwayne Johnson
Dwayne Douglas Johnson (born May 2, 1972), also known by his ring name The Rock, is an American actor and former professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he was integral to the developm ...
was in final negotiations for his role and that Phil Joanou
Phil Joanou (born November 20, 1961) is an American director of film, music videos, and television programs, known in part for his ongoing relationship to the band U2.
Biography
Joanou was born in La Cañada Flintridge, California, and began m ...
would be directing. That September it was reported that Joanou had dropped out and George Tillman Jr. would direct. Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek Pinault ( , ; born Salma Valgarma Hayek JimĂ©nez; September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela ''Teresa'' (1989â1991) as well as the ...
was considered for the role of Cicero, but a week before filming was started she dropped out due to "scheduling issues". Hayek was replaced by Carla Gugino
Carla Gugino (; born August 29, 1971) is an American actress. After appearing in ''Troop Beverly Hills'' (1989) and ''This Boy's Life'' (1993), she received recognition for her starring roles as Ingrid Cortez in the ''Spy Kids'' trilogy (2001â ...
. Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
began on February 8, 2010, in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ăngeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and continued in Pasadena
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
Its ...
and Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita (; Spanish for "Little St. Clare") is a city in northwestern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. With a 2020 census population of 228,673, it is the third-largest city by population in Los Angeles County, the 17t ...
in California.
Chevelle
The Chevrolet Chevelle
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a mid-sized automobile that was produced by Chevrolet in three generations for the 1964 through 1978 model years. Part of the General Motors (GM) A-body platform, the Chevelle was one of Chevrolet's most successful ...
driven by "Driver" which is prominently displayed in the movie has the rear of a 1971 or 1972 model, but the front of a 1970 model presumably due to the rarity and value of the 1970 Chevelle SS 454 which the car in the film is presumably portraying (it is never actually specified).
Soundtrack
Additionally, another song used for the film include "En mi viejo San Juan" (Spanish for, "In my old San Juan") composed and sung by Mexican singer and actor, Javier SolĂs
Gabriel Siria Levario (4 September 1931 â 19 April 1966), known professionally as Javier SolĂs, was a Mexican singer and actor. He specialized in the musical genres of bolero and ranchera.
Early life
Gabriel Siria Levario was the first of t ...
.
Release
The film grossed $12,200,000 over the five-day Thanksgiving release. It stayed in theaters until February 10, 2011. The film ultimately grossed $35,626,958 worldwide.[ The film was produced on a $24 million budget.][ It was released on video on March 1, 2011, and it grossed another $17.3 million in DVD and Blu-ray sales in the US.
]
Reception
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
reports that 42% of 130 critics have given the film a positive review; the rating average is 4.87 out of 10. The site's consensus reads: "It's good to see Dwayne Johnson back in full-throttle action mode, but ''Faster'' doesn't deliver enough of the high-octane thrills promised by its title." It holds a Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
score of 44 out of 100 based on 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 â April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
for the ''Chicago Sun-Times
The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
'' said, "Rotate the plot, change the period, spruce up the dialogue, and this could have been a hard boiled 1940s noir. But it doesn't pause for fine touches and efficiently delivers action for an audience that likes one-course meals".
References
External links
Official website
(archive)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Faster (2010 film)
2010 films
2010 action thriller films
2010s American films
2010s English-language films
2010s vigilante films
American action thriller films
American films about revenge
American police detective films
American vigilante films
Castle Rock Entertainment films
CBS Films films
Films about bank robbery
Films about contract killing
Films directed by George Tillman Jr.
Films produced by Robert Teitel
Films scored by Clint Mansell
Films set in Los Angeles
Films shot in California
TriStar Pictures films