Torque (2004)

User Rating:

3.5/10   

Director:

Joseph Kahn

Writer (WGA):

Matt Johnson (written by)

Release Date:

16 January 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

Biker Cary Ford is framed by an old rival and biker gang leader for the murder of another gang member who happens to be the brother of Trey (Ice Cube)...

Plot Keywords:

Murder | On The Run | Motorcycle Chase | Held At Gunpoint | Public Bathroom

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Martin Henderson	...	Cary Ford
Ice Cube	...	Trey
Monet Mazur	...	Shane
Adam Scott	...	FBI Agent McPherson
Matt Schulze	...	Henry James
Will Yun Lee	...	Val
Jaime Pressly	...	China
Max Beesley	...	Luther
Christina Milian	...	Nina
Jay Hernandez	...	Dalton
Faizon Love	...	Sonny
Fredro Starr	...	Junior Wallace
Justina Machado	...	FBI Agent Henderson
John Doe	...	Sheriff Barnes
John Ashker	...	Yellow Car Driver

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, sexuality, language and drug references.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Italy:VM14 (re-rating) (2005) | Italy:VM14 (original rating) (2004) | Italy:VM18 (re-rating) (2004) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Netherlands:12 | Italy:T (edited version) (2006) | Malaysia:(Banned) | South Korea:15 | France:-12 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Blythe, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

At one point, Cary says, "I live my life a quarter mile at a time." Shane responds with, "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" This was an intentional poke at The Fast and the Furious (2001). Vin Diesel's character used the phrase in that movie (which was also produced by Neal H. Moritz).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the first scene at the desert race, when he presses the right lever in the handle bar, the back wheel blocks, but in a motorcycle the back brake is on the right foot and not in the right hand.

Quotes:

[to Junior]
Sonny: You better count to ten!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Drew Barrymore/Kelis (#29.12)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Lean Low

Surprisingly entertaining

When sitting down to watch a movie like Torque my expectations are down so low that they almost touch the earth's core. Maybe that's also why i actually found this movie to be mildly entertaining? The closest movie references here seemed to be the "Fast and the furious"-movies, at least before the movie started. But while the setting is not unlike those movies (criminal gangs racing each other in custom vehicles) there was still a big difference in how the movies played out. First of all i like the style of "Torque" a lot better. Granted, the over-the-top racing sequences with quite a lot of CGI tucked in to create the illusion of speed are too much many times. But still, there is a certain style and feeling here that actually makes it work pretty well.

The beginning of the movie almost made me give up though. The "hero" arrives at a biker meet where women with more silicone than natural tissue greet him and it almost becomes too much to bear. But when the obligatory naked skin passes by the action picks up, and so does the entertainment. Don't be mistaken, this movie is a hopelessly juvenile testosterone-fest. But in the genre it's not too bad.

So if you like fast bikes and fast paced racing this might just be your choice for the Friday night entertainment. Easily digested, easily forgotten, but a fun ride while it lasts. I rate this 5/10.