Faster - Rock-solid action

The good thing about `revenge' type films is that you don't need much in the way of a story. And, `Faster' is no exception. The Rock plays a convict, freshly-released from jail, who tracks down all those who had sent him there. Add a dodgy cop and a paranoid hitman and you have all the ingredients for a decent action flick.

First of all, The Rock is perfect for this role.  He has - like most muscular action stars - been criticised for his acting ability. Here, he cannot be accused of being anything other than perfect for the part. Billy Bob Thornton is equally creepy as the bent copper and the (pretty unknown) British actor does his best as the hitman, but despite looking the part (well, if a hitman looked like a male model - yes, I am jealous!) his lack of acting experience makes him a bit of a weak link in the chain.

The film does a reasonable job at establishing some vague backstory for each character, but excels at depicting how their current (dangerous) actions impact on those who love them.  Especially how even hardened villains have families who love them.

'Faster' is not just fast by name, but also quite fast when it comes to runtime. It's only an hour and a half and it flies by.  There are other characters, but not many.  Plus, because it's so short, all the others hardly get much screen time, let alone anything in the way of 'character development' (Jennifer Carpenter from TV's 'Dexter' is one).  Many people have said that it's a kind of update on the old 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' type film, i.e. where you have three main stars, all set on a one-way path to kill each other.  It's a simple film, filled with plenty of shoot-outs, car chases and general violence. If you're in the mood for that, you really can't ask for much more.

8/10 The Force is definitely strong with this one