Faster 2010

Jake Coyle, Associated Press: The movie is in such a hurry that it doesn't bother to slow down for proper names, instead referring to its main characters as archetypes. Read more

James Rocchi, MSN Movies: ... a film as brutally simple and yet unexpectedly complex as 'Faster' becomes a pleasure in and of itself, and a thing to be cherished. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: Structurally "Faster" is as blocky as its star. Fancy camera angles and changes in hue cannot camouflage its stumbling, blunt-force narrative style, in which plot turns are dropped like bricks. Read more

Keith Phipps, AV Club: It's as fun as it sounds, but only up to a point. Read more

Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: There is nothing subtle about "Faster," and that's the best thing about it. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: "Faster'' is meat-and-potatoes action with a side of crazy. Read more

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The script by Tony Gayton and Joe Gayton isn't really a vehicle for Johnson; it's more of a three-headed narrative that keeps knocking heads. Read more

Gary Dowell, Dallas Morning News: Johnson's performance is one of seething rage camouflaging emotional scars as ugly as the physical ones, a grim, single-minded figure straight out of a Jim Thompson or Richard Stark novel. Read more

Adam Markovitz, Entertainment Weekly: Faster ... leaves it to Johnson -- as deadly focused as a gunsight -- to make it all believable. The problem is, he can't.. Read more

Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: A throwback to the '70s -- straight action with a few clever twists, all anchored by solid characters actors Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: Sometimes all you really want is a cheese sandwich. Sometimes it's fun to be 12, for a while. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: After an initial burst of energy, things trudge along. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: Despite much effort, neither Johnson nor director George Tillman Jr. can make this preposterous tale, the latest misfire from CBS Films, live up to its title. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: Whatever brownie points Tillman scored with "Notorious", "Faster" is that wake-up call that he's no John Woo. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: As films of this genre go, Faster is a middle-of-the-road offering, but those expecting something fast-paced and frenetic are likely to be disappointed. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: 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. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: The Rock didn't start calling himself by his actual name, Dwayne Johnson, so he could make garbage like "Faster." Read more

Tom Horgen, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Johnson's movies work best when he's playing his funny opposite. Comedy is hard. Badass is not. Read more

Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Only Gugino, one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood, displays emotional complexity - and do you really need that in an action flick? Actually, yes. Read more

Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail: The Killer subplot looks and feels like it was grafted on with Krazy Glue. Thornton's character never adds up. And the film's big whiplash surprise ending is a real you've-got-to-be-kidding groaner. Read more

Bruce Demara, Toronto Star: There are a couple of plot twists that -- carefully seeded into the story -- are intended to shock and surprise but actually come across as contrived and highly implausible. Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Most of it is pretty predictable, familiar stuff. But Dwayne Johnson has a presence whose sum is more than the total of his acting parts. Read more

Robert Koehler, Variety: This misfired actioner marks Dwayne Johnson's return to muscle movies, this time without any measurable humor. Read more

Dan Kois, Washington Post: By the end of this underwritten wanna-B movie, only the black-and-white muscle car is left standing with its dignity intact. Read more