I love Angelina Jolie. I love Nicholas Cage even more. I adore action movies. I’m always game for a good car chase. Cars make me happy.
Those were my reasons for seeing Gone in Sixty Seconds. Plus, I had 2 more free passes to the movie, and a friend of mine was visiting from out-of-state. Last but not least, I really wanted to see this movie.
Randall ’’Memphis’’ Raines (Cage), is a retired car thief who has found a ’’straight and clean’’ life outside of Long Beach, CA. When he hears that his little brother, Kip (Giovanni Ribisi), is in a lot of trouble due to a car boost gone wrong, he does whatever it takes to help him out...
Including getting back into Grand Theft Auto.
Memphis organizes a car theft ring from the people he used to run with during his glory days. In order to save Kip’s life, they must steal fifty cars in four days. With the LAPD breathing down his neck, as well as a psycho named Colitri to answer to, Memphis has his work cut out for himself.
The cast was great and worked very well together. Giovanni Ribisi plays such a great dirt bag! (Remember him in The Postman?) Angelina Jolie was good as well, although I was disappointed that her role wasn’t as large as I anticipated. I really thought she was going to be a major character, the way they advertised it and everything. And, hey, she’s WAY hot.
Which leads me to the plot. The main plot is the stealing of 50 cars in 4 days without getting caught. There are a lot of little sub-plots, such as the sibling rivalry between Memphis and Kip, Memphis’ sordid past, the former relationship between Memphis and Sway, and the reasons the cops hate and know so much about Memphis, ALL of these sub-plots (especially the Memphis-Sway plotline) could have used a lot more fleshing out.
The stunts are terrific! I loved how the Sphinx made his entrance by blowing up the gang leader’s car. The fights were great! (Unlike MI:2, all of the sound effects were there.) The car chases were absolutely unparalleled. Since Nicholas Cage is a trained racecar driver, he did many of his own driving stunts. Love it!!!
However, when the car chase peeled into the LA Water Basin, I half-expected Memphis and his posse to break into the musical number Greased Lightning.
This is definitely a guy movie, or for those who enjoy a good dose of testosterone and action. this is DEFINITELY under the title of ’’Guy Movie.’’
It’s a movie with a bunch of great actors, some cool stunts, a plethora of fabulous car chases, but a relatively weak script. With this movie, you need to suspend your disbelief and not ask so many questions.
But hey, it’s Nicky Cage and Angelina Jolie.