Movie · 2014 · Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller · 2h 12m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.9/10 (290.6K ratings)
For honor. For love. For redemption.
Overview
The film revolves around a local street-racer who partners with a rich and arrogant business associate, only to find himself framed by his colleague and sent to prison. After he gets out, he joins a New York-to-Los Angeles race to get revenge. But when the ex-partner learns of the scheme, he puts a massive bounty on the racer's head, forcing him to run a cross-country gauntlet of illegal racers in all manner of supercharged vehicles.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.9/10
IMDb: 6.4/10
Letterboxd: 2.69/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 23%
Metacritic: 39
TMDB: 6.4/10
Director
Scott Waugh
Production
DreamWorks Pictures, Reliance Entertainment, Bandito Brothers, Mark Sourian Productions, John Gatins Productions, Electronic Arts
Cast
Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Kid Cudi, Rami Malek, Ramón Rodríguez, Harrison Gilbertson, Dakota Johnson, Stevie Ray Dallimore, Michael Keaton, Alan Pflueger, Brian Keaulana, Logan Holladay, Carmela Zumbado, Jalil Jay Lynch, Nick Chinlund, Chad Randall, Buddy Joe Hooker, Rich Rutherford, Tony Brakohiapa
Curator Review
Verdict
A loud, old-school stunt movie with real cars, practical crashes, and enough momentum to keep action fans engaged, but the script is thin and the drama is generic. It works best as a throwback B-movie chase picture rather than a serious revenge thriller.
Best for
viewers who prioritize practical stunts over story
fans of cross-country chase movies
people looking for a lighter alternative to glossy franchise racing films
audiences who enjoy earnest, pulpy action
Skip if
you want sharp writing or memorable characters
you need emotional depth from your action movies
you dislike familiar revenge-and-redemption plotting
you prefer sleek CGI-heavy spectacle over practical stunt work
Overview
Need for Speed is built like a muscle car: loud, fast, and not especially refined. The appeal is immediate and physical. The production leans hard on practical driving, flips, and crashes, and that gives the movie a tangible energy that many slicker action films lack. When it’s moving, it’s easy to see why some viewers champion it as underrated.
Worth noting
The problem is that the screenplay never quite matches the stunt work. The revenge setup is serviceable, the dialogue is often flat, and the characters are sketched more as functions than people. Aaron Paul brings intensity, but the film keeps asking him to carry material that doesn’t give him much to play beyond brooding determination.
Bottom line
Still, there’s a scrappy charm in how straightforward it is. It feels like a stuntman’s movie more than a studio franchise machine, and that gives it a certain honesty. If you want a clean, old-fashioned chase picture with real metal getting bent, it delivers enough to justify the ride.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Buddy O (3.5★) · 1623 likes
Yeah bitch! cars!
Zach Skov (2★) · 750 likes
This was my least favorite episode of breaking bad.
Ben Gordon (1.5★) · 741 likes
Shocked and A. Pauled.
Joe A (2★) · 502 likes
Half of this movie is Aaron Paul with his hands in his pockets looking like the Kevin James meme. Actually, most of the cast need to get their hands out of their damn pockets.
Gonzo (2.5★) · 253 likes
The Good: The cars. The stunts. (Holy shit, the stunts. All real, no CGI. Huge props for that.) The lovely Imogen Poots. (Love me some Poots.) The many amusing expressions of Aaron Paul.
The Bad: Who needs a script? Screw the script. Scripts are for suckers, am I right?
The Bottom Line: Even the great Cap'n Cook couldn't swoop in to save this film from mediocrity and inevitably being labelled as a second-rate Fast and Furious. It's a shame since… more