Torque (2004) User Reviews (232)

Surprisingly entertaining

[Antagonisten · 5/10 · 4 November 2005]

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.

a movie that looks like a motorcycle video game

[MLDinTN · 4/10 · 29 December 2004]

This movie was made because of the success of the Fast and the Furious. But in this they decided to use fast motorcycles instead of cars. A can't miss, right! What were the producers thinking when they decided to spend 40 million on this? The extremely thin plot revolves around our "hero", Ford, who is set up for a murder by the bad guy. The guy killed is the brother of our anti"hero", Trey, who of course isn't so bad after all. Then there is a twist involving the FBI cop, but if you couldn't see it coming a mile away, then this is your first movie.

There were many outrageous stunts in this. OK, I could get past two guys jumping a ramp onto a moving train and then driving through the train cars. And racing through a bunch of trees without getting killed. And I can even get past the ridiculous fight on motorcycles between the two girls. But the last 15 minutes where it looked like a video game was too much. It was so silly, them saying this bike could go over 200 mph, and then he does it through crowded city streets. Someone would be dead in seconds from running into something.

But, I must give props to Martin Henderson. He was very hot and I never heard of him before. Hopefully, he'll get more mainstream movie roles because I sure don't mind looking at him for a couple of hours.

FINAL VERDICT: If you like movies with ridiculous stunts, then this one is for you. Also, if you want a good look at a hot new actor, check out Henderson.

Only for the most crazed bikefanatic

[morkulv_athferion · 4/10 · 12 February 2009]

The whole setup of this movie is to make cash. From the beginning the movie just looks overproduced. When I tuned in I even thought it was some kind of commercial, and I was right because this whole movie is basically a advertisement for motorbikes. The way a sign at the start reads "cars suck", the comments throughout the film "thats why I hate 4 wheels!". Its pretty obvious, even though you can't really take stuff like that serious.

There are a lot of errors in this film as well, but what I didn't like about this film is that it focuses too much on the bikes and vehicles. Believe me when I say that this has nothing else to offer then people racing against each other with a very thin plot about a guy who gets framed for a murder he didn't commit. Thats basically the entire premise of this movie, so if you are not into bikes and cars (yes those people exist) then you can scratch this movie from your list now.

One aspect that was not that bad was the use of CGI to create a kind of hyperdrive-feeling during some of the driving/chase scenes. But again, this feels like a bike-commercial quickly. Hell, they could paste a Yamaha-logo at the end of a driving-sequence in Torque and there you go; a perfect TV-commercial.

The characters also are nothing different from the typical Hollywood-stuff, and they are just as thin as the plot they are representing. The acting could be worse, but the dialog is the most awful and laughable tripe you will ever hear. If bikes are your life and you always wanted something like Fast and the Furious but with bikes then give this a try, if you want a good movie then just avoid this.

I've waited a long time for this . . .

[jaywolfenstien · 1 September 2004]

In reviewing the incredible annoying House of the Dead, I wrote, 'Why flirt with the concept of overkill when you can make it say 'whose your daddy?' Torque does not flirt with overkill; Torque *is* overkill's daddy, and it was fun.

Just a few hours before I watched Scary Movie 3 and that film barely managed to summon a chuckle from me. Torque had me in stitches before the first sixty-seconds were up. After years of watching 'serious' films with ridiculously over the top chase sequences (especially lately), finally a movie comes along and puts them all in their place. I have waited a long time for a racing-movie to recognize its own lameness and just (knowingly) go for all the over-the-top stunts it can possibly collect in a loosely strung together plot about a bunch of stereotyped misfits no one really cares about.

As stated above, the key was the fact this film does not take itself seriously. Take for example the MTV quick-cut commercial editing style, its overly colorful nature in sets and props, the comic-book-ish camera angles, the overused CG for impossible camera/bike moves, and the lighting which left the high-contrast shadows in mid-day. Want more? How 'bout when a bike speeds past a road sign, making it do a Looney Toonsesque-spin, and if you look carefully you can see the words 'Cars Suck?'

Everything perfectly matched the goal this film set out to hit, which is basically a tongue-in-cheek XBox game on the silver screen so commenting on the characters and plot seems virtually pointless. It's about as well developed as most action films-characters and plot serve enough purpose to get the bikes from chase scene A to chase scene B while poking fun at characters/lines from other racing films. No more no less.

I personally loved Torque. Would I recommend it to friends, family, or Joe-Shmoe who happens to pass me by in the video store? Well . . . for those who watch films with an anal eye and point out, 'That's not a logical plot point. That defies the laws of physics. That's the single stupidest thing I've ever seen in cinema?' No. Heck no. Don't even pick up the box. However, for those who can watch a film where the comedy lay not in punch lines rather in the style -- a film that's a celebration of all things lame in all of cinema's over-glorified chase scenes? Have a blast and join in with Torque's mockery of the genre.

Physically Enduring to Watch

[polkaband · 1/10 · 26 February 2005]

There are bad movies and then there are painful movies. Then there's Torque which very well may have defined a new term of "bad".

For those previous comments who argue that this is a B-Movie and that viewers should "lighten up" - you need to look up your definitions. A B movie is low budget. This was obviously not low budget. I would have to lighten up to the degree of being an overexposed photograph of the kid from Powder to even watch another minute of this film again.

There is something about cult or campy flicks that is difficult to explain. On paper or at face value a campy movie can be bad but there's a sense of "fun" in it. You can watch Faster Pussycat Kill Kill and think that they actually had fun filming it AND screening it. You watch Torque and you think that on day 33 of the shoot it must have been painful beyond belief for the crew to answer their alarm clocks.

Torque doesn't work in ANY labeling of film. It isn't low budget. It doesn't feel campy. It isn't even funny bad. Unless the real life actors are complete idiots in real life they must have been downright embarrassed by this. It paid their bills though.

There is ZIP for any sort of conversation that even mildly could be construed as entertaining. The editing is a total MTV hyperkenetic ADD disaster. The stunts are neither even remotely plausible or interesting. The love interest scenario was as cliché as possible. Ice Cube couldn't act his way out of a styrofoam cup in any movie previously and it still shows.

I feel that this movie was literally a physical challenge to watch. Around the midway point I felt like I had just free climbed Devil's Tower. Perhaps I lost a few years of my life from the physical exhaustion this movie delivered to my body.

On the upside though - I feel like after having watched this movie I could watch any 9 hour insurance seminar without batting an eye. After viewing Torque, I would rather watch someone trying to start their lawn mower for 3 hours on local access cable.

An action-filled dialogue-deficient movie

[AlsExGal · 1/10 · 10 October 2020]

I realize that this is one of those man movies that was never meant to make any sense and whose target demographic is fourteen-year-old boys. However, my canary in the coal mine in these situations is my husband. If he finds one of these films unwatchable, then it truly is bad, and not just so bad it is good. This was the case with "Torque". I tried to appreciate the stunts and the occasional humor that did work such as the truck from "Duel" still chasing Dennis Weaver after all these years, but it just can't compensate for a lame plot and dialogue that sounds like it was written by the reincarnation of Ed Wood. I think a somewhat rearranged quote from "Billy Madison", another silly man's movie that I actually enjoy if I'm in the mood for it, is most appropriate at this point: "At no point in your rambling, incoherent (movie) were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having (watched) it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

Torquey!

[Maciste_Brother · 1/10 · 2 August 2006]

One can't expect much about an action movie with bikers, criminals and violence. But even with my lowered expectations, I was amazed by how bad this "movie" was. The film wasn't remotely believable in any way, shape or form. PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE is more believable about the subject of UFOs than this movie is about biker criminals. So some say it's just a B-movie, hmm. Well, it's more like a grade Z movie.

The cinematography was so off putting that I couldn't watch parts of it, having to look away from the extreme garishness seen on my beautiful TV screen. The actors were, huh, well, what actors? The script? Ah! The music...nevermind. Anyway, there's nothing worth writing about TORQUE. It's so bad it makes FAST & FURIOUS look like 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.

This movie is a complete Torquey!

Bike fighting.... BIKE FIGHTING

[morbid_Visions · 1/10 · 19 January 2004]

I never miss the chance to see movies for free and having friends that work in the theatre, I see a ton of movies (but pay for the ones I enjoyed). The other night I got to see Torque. I didn't expect much with this movie and couldn't wait at the chance to heckle it. But when it started, it was as if a blast wave of crap hit my face while my mouth was open. I was blinded, and had a bad taste in my mouth. Now I don't enjoy a lot of movies out there (because I want to be a filmmaker and know I can do better) but sometimes that one movie comes along and makes you wonder, "people REALLY enjoy this?" Whats next from the producers of this film, "2 Torque'd"? This movie is a definate case of STYLE over substance. I can deal with crappy movies made from novels, video games and other media but I can't deal with crappy movies that are defecated out of the blue. This movie made my mind sad and now I need to go watch some BOONDOCK SAINTS to feel better.

Torque Wrenching My Guts

[cbgiant · 1/10 · 20 October 2006]

I would have given another star for the film's cinematography and attempted special effects. Those are the peaks. Now for the valleys,which are deep. The film just hacked me off too much to give it another star. Why? Just about everything else was too stupid, cliché, unrealistic, trendy and meaningless. After watching the first 15 minutes of this "turd with handlebars", I wanted punch every character in the face. I can't imagine real people acting so arrogant and pretentious and living to tell the tale. And as usual, Ice Cube puts on his patented "constant anger" face. And the comical one-liners put The Fast And The Furious to shame. Is this acting, or just another means to a Hollywood paycheck? Probably the latter. If this film is meant to parody the genre, then the parody part must have been used for toilet paper. If it is to be taken seriously, then it should be flushed down the toilet the producers sat on when they thought this one up. MTV would be proud of this attempt to further spread mindless, hypnotizing pop culture to the masses. Jaime Pressley is a hot one in her kinky attire, but I'd still rather sniff dog turds than sit through this crap. Terrible.

C'mon, it's a B-movie! Lighten up! (***)

[Ronin47 · 7/10 · 1 February 2004]

A lot of people think that I love the "Charlie's Angels" movies because I think they're "so bad, they're good", when that's actually not true. On the contrary, I think they are pretty smart (especially in the precise way they constantly reference pop culture in clever and heartfelt ways). And yes, they are totally silly and unrealistic and goofy, but what I like about that is that it's completely intentional (which is what most people don't get, and is so obvious to me).

"Torque", on the other hand, is a perfect example of a movie that is TRULY so bad, it's good. Or at least enjoyable in a surreal, lunatic sort of way. This movie seriously doesn't have a brain in its head.

In every sense a B-movie, it most resembles those gleefully exploitive, low-budget movies that Roger Corman and Russ Meyer made decades ago, where biker gangs did battle with their switchblade-toting girlfriends at their side. And it's every bit as silly as it sounds, which could be either good news or bad news for you, depending on what kind of filmgoer you are.

Personally, I knew it was crap the whole time, but still had a blast watching it. The story is ridiculous and the dialogue is ludicrous (these characters exist in a world where when a girl says "Nice bike", the guy says "Nice a**" and she LIKES it). But I cannot fully resist a movie in which two improbably beautiful biker chicks stare each other down on their bikes in a photogenic, deserted alleyway (both of them in front of huge product logos, for extra giggles), one of them yells "Bring it on, b****!", the other whips out a switchblade, and then they charge! As a classic B-movie enthusiast, I offer no apologies for having fun watching a scene like that.

It's really not all bad, either. Martin Henderson and Monet Mazur have some genuinely nice and tender scenes together, and the great, color-conscious cinematography makes everything look so shiny you could eat off the screen. Jamie Pressly is an absolute hoot as the evil biker chick, and Adam Scott scores some laughs as a conceited F.B.I. agent.

Also, several of the action scenes are pretty amazing, once you get over the idea that this movie is obviously not taking place on planet Earth, but rather some video game universe or a 12 year-old's dream.

I wish Ice Cube was off doing the kinds of good movies he used to make (like "Three Kings", the original "Friday", "Boyz N The Hood", "Higher Learning", "Ghosts Of Mars"...), but he contributes some laughs as one of the heavies here. I do wish he had changed his expression at least once, though. You know the one where he grits his teeth and curls his upper lip so that he look like he hates your guts and steam is about to come out of his ears? That's the one that he has throughout the entire movie.

Basically, I'm not gonna fight for this movie or anything, I realize it's of essentially no value. I'll just say that it made it easy for me to shut off my brain and I enjoyed it, and maybe you will too. I give "Torque" 3 stars the same way I would give "Switchblade Sisters" 3 stars. They're awful and cheesy, but a hell of a lot of fun, and that counts for something, doesn't it?

Really? REALLY?

[troyhawke · 1/10 · 15 April 2008]

Warning! Spoilers ahead! They ride their sport-bikes through the desert, or at least that what the producers (and *very* unsuccessfully, I might add) want you to think they did. Which tells me that the producers think the audience are a bunch of idiots.

There are two skinny girls *fighting* with their bikes, making the impression that the bikes weigh about 10 pounds each. Words escape me.

Bikes on a train? Wheelies between the seats? Really?

High speed driving without helmets? Again, really? You know that fly that hit your eye in 130 mph? And burst your eyeball? Good luck with all that.

As for the ending, with a jet-bike in city traffic, there are no words for how moronic that was.

To top it off: Fat-boy Ice-cube on a bike? Really? REALLY? I don't think so. At best he could drive a 15hp chopper around town in about 20 mph so all his "bling-bling" won't fall off. Be careful to not get that too-long basketball-shirt, or the shoelaces from your untied shoes, stuck in the chain. It wouldn't be pretty. And the rest of his "cool-boy rapper-biker-gang" was just as believable as that 300mph-through-city-traffic-wearing-no-helmet ending.

This is just another example of what's wrong with todays "movies". Who cares about realism and a plot, as long as it's "cool" and "awesome", and the actors curses a lot and makes degrading comments about women, and wears a lot of "bling-bling". It's not even bad, it's not even laughable, but it sure brings on a whole new level of stupid. What a waste of money, time and resources.

Nothing Special but a fun watch

[iwatcheverything · 8/10 · 17 January 2004]

I liked this movie. There was nothing special about it at all. Everything looked fake and most of the stunts were beyond believable. Who Cares? It is a fun movie that not only pokes fun at itself but at the makers own other movie Fast and Furious. I thought this was a fun watch and all the votes seem to be coming from people who were looking for a serious movie with great acting. Why? You can tell by previews this is not that kind of film. This is a great way to just entertain yourself. Go see it soon.

Did somehow everyone misunderstood this movie?

[Boba_Fett1138 · 6/10 · 20 July 2005]

What's with the hate for this movie? Why can't people just take this movie for what it is? This movie is just simply good B-movie action entertainment. Its obviously no Oscar material, no but did you seriously expected it to be? At least it doesn't take itself as serious as both the Fast and the Furious movies did. You know that when you are going to watch a movie like "Torque" you are going to see a bad story with some second rate actors but with some nice action.

And this movie surely has some nice action. The motorcycle sequences are surprising good and tense. Most of the stunts were nicely choreographed and the movie has some nice camera tricks and nice editing. It's obvious when watching this movie that Joseph Kahn is a music video director but that certain style works perfect for a fast paced movie like this. Joseph Kahn seems like a talented and well motivated director, of which I'm sure we will hear more of in the future.

Yeah sure, the ending is pretty bad and fake looking but it didn't ruined the movie for me in any way. I was entertained throughout the entire movie by some nice action.

The movie has a bit of an awkward kind of humor, which they should had left out in my opinion. The script is not very well written but still the actors pull it of to make their characters likable and give them a personality. Would I mind seeing "Torque 2"? Most certainly not! I would rather see a "Torque 2" than a "The Fast and the Furious 3".

Really, just give this movie a chance, you might very well end up liking it.

6/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

There is some value to this film after all!!!

[brimstone_fox · 1/10 · 20 August 2007]

Upon seeing this film, the only way that I could believe that someone paid to produce this mockery of cinema was as part of a nefarious plot to create a new torture device for enemies of the English-speaking world; or as some diabolical psychological experiment reminiscent of the Auschwitz atrocities; or perhaps as a reminder to would-be filmmakers that the laws of physics cannot be excluded while trying to achieve a suspension of disbelief.

However, as it turns out, some people actually liked this movie. Now, normally I would be respectful of the tastes of others, given that I am a fan of free will and the right to choose one's own passions. However, I am firmly convinced that the people who liked this film are either production studio plants, or insanely moronic individuals who shouldn't be allowed access to the internet, or folks using mass quantities of psychotropic substances.

Consequentially, given the problem of America's waning educational system and plummeting test scores, I am convinced that this film should be used as a gene-pool filter. Given the number of positive reviews and high votes, I believe that people who like this movie should be singled out for castration or hysterectomy, and this in turn should allow for a major increase in intelligence throughout America.

Pretty as cotton candy being spun at a fair...

[jemmytee · 14 February 2004]

...And just about as nutritious for anyone seeking a coherent story or serious characters. But being an aficionado of low-rent B movies, I took TORQUE for what it was -- a video game on film that had no relationship to the laws of physics. Roger Corman would be proud of this puppy.

I loved the look of it. I hate the desert (where it seems 75% of this film was shot) but it seemed so lovely, I almost wanted to visit the locations. Martin and Monet are beautiful to look at and almost pull off their "tougher-than-thou" attitudes. Ice Cube was dope (meant in the good way, not the dumb one) and the bad boys (and grrrrl) were just too much fun. Joseph Kahn shows promise as a director (if someone will please put him on Valium); his quiet moments were just as nice as his non-stop action ones.

What's bad? I can't say the script was because it's obvious there really wasn't one except in the loosest sense. The editing was so in your face, I got lost a few times and still cannot figure out how one character died except he went BOOM on his bike in downtown LA. I was a bit offended at how all the black guys were portrayed in a stereotypical "bad-assed-muthaf**kah" way as opposed to the cool as cucumber confidence of "the lead three and she" and the "we're refugees from MAD MAX" baddies.

Let's put it this way -- cotton candy is probably the worst thing you can put in your body in the way of anything edible, but if you got a craving for it, nothing else will do. And that's TORQUE, to the "max."

Wonderfully Bad.

[OttoVonB · 1/10 · 4 October 2004]

Behold, a cinematic wonder. "From the makers of Fast and Furious, XXX and SWAT", proclaims the poster, apologizing in advance. Once you get past that, you are left with the fact that Torque rises head and shoulders BELOW those sad duds. It is, lucky us, far worse.

The plot is an excuse for grotesque set-pieces and impossibly fast bike chases (one of them in a train. Yes. Not "on". "In"!), that set a new record in stupidity but have enough implausibility, cartoon violence and sense of their own foolishness to make this all wonderfully entertaining in a weird way. In terms of story, this is really a western on motorcycles, where lead character Henderson comes back in town to set the record straight, win back his chick (feisty Masur) and kill off a few bad guys (and one very bad girl). All the while being threatened and insulted by Ice Cube on top form.

The soundtrack is loud, the mostly dodgy CGI is used to full and fun effect, the characters are preposterous and one-dimensional and the photography and editing make this look like a pumped up MTV video times ten! (bring your barf-bag along!). The great part is that this is all a big joke and that everyone is in on it. The film is beyond being ratable. It deserves either a 10 (as wacky comedy) or a 1 (if you take it seriously).

This will make you cry with laughter more than any spoof in the last ten years, and though often for all the wrong reasons you might think, it is a great film to hate, and therefor, love!

No Plot, No Good Actors and it being your typical Motor head film.

[Sean_Katakuri · 1/10 · 19 May 2004]

I've just seen this movie and I'm asking myself "Why ?". This movie its just a bunch of CGI effects put together. Take that away, you got nothing but another action film not worth the time watching it. It's just another " Hey I gotta fast bike so I can act bad and make love to the hot chick." This film justifies this and every bad principal the world of filming has. My brother loves this movie but of course he's an idiot. Don't be like him. Watch a GOOD movie. This film is no acceptation. Avoid. Very Bad movie. * out of ****. It stinks! Final word: How can you take the worst actors and put them together? With this movie, anything is possible.

This even surpasses Biker Boyz

[ccsracer428 · 1/10 · 17 January 2004]

This is the worst "bike" movie ever. This even surpasses Biker Boyz. Why cant the movie industry realize that all bikers are not Gun totin,Drug dealin, murdering gang members? The stunts are silly. Stoppies into trees, Fighting on bikes at over 120 mph, jumping onto a train? The sportbikes "Magically" turn into bodywork wearing dirtbikes. Please give us some reality. We are not all ignorant, Some of us actually ride bikes.

No Plot, No Big Deal

[jon.h.ochiai · 5/10 · 26 January 2004]

I wanted some mindless entertainment where the plot does not interfere with the movie itself, with young attractive people, fast bikes, and big explosions. So I saw "Torque". I got what I was asking for, and nothing more. You've got to hand it to a movie when it's marquee star is actor, Ice Cube. With all due respect to Mr. Cube, this is not a great movie. Really.

The only other recognizable name is Jaime Pressly, who was recently featured in "Playboy"-- promoting the movie no less. However, director Joseph Kahn does have his flashes of brilliance: provides a great-looking cast, and moves so quickly we almost don't notice the lack of story. In Matt Johnson's embryonic script, hunk Martin Henderson plays biker outlaw, Ford, who returns from Thailand exile to recover 2 motorcycles-- I seem to recall. Anyway, the real reason for his return is getting back with his old flame, Shane, played by the very hot Monet Mazur. Honestly, Henderson, Monet, and Ice Cube do their best with card board character representations.

Kahn keeps our interest with CGI effects, and radical motorcycle stunts. And his cinematic highlight is a romantic scene with Henderson and Monet on a playground merry-go-round with Monet's thong straps hiked up above her jeans. Now that is genius. Who really needs special effects to tell a story? "Torque" smartly never takes itself seriously. This works, because no one will.

Mindless Fun!!!

[PatrynXX · 5/10 · 18 August 2004]

Every now and then, a critic like me needs a break from all the high quality (and usually depressing) movies. This one is just mindless fun. Don't know why this is like 50 spots away from being the worst movie. It was a good watch. Sure the quality is so bad that it won't win any awards, but it was fun. So I'm not gonna even bother to say whats bad. Just have fun for once. :)

5/10

Quality: 0/10 Entertainment: 10/10 Replayable: 8/10

Spectacular action movie with fast and furious fun by sensational motorbike races

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 2 May 2006]

The film deals with a biker named Ford ( Martin Henderson ) leader of a biker gang ( Jay Hernandez, Yun Lee ), he's accused by a rival gang ( Matt Schulze and Jaime Pressly )of killing a biker who results to be the brother of the leader ( Ice Cube ) another dangerous band . The protagonist will try to resolve his innocence and being pursued by the gangs and the police.

The picture blends action-packed , motorbike pursuits , shootouts , rip roaring , struggles and a little bit of violence . From the beginning to the end the action-pace is continuous , the movie provides fast and furious amusement with spectaculars scenes . The picture packs unstopped action and is extremely entertaining for action lovers and video-games fans . The motorcyclists racing are made with authentic stunts but also by C.G.I. ; however there are over use computer images and visual effects , such as is especially developed in the pursuits on the train and the breathtaking finale race . Atmospheric musical score is adjusted to the action movie and is rightly composed by Trevor Ravin . Coloristic cinematography by Peter Levy . The motion picture is well directed by Joseph Kahn and has been produced by Neal Moritz , famous producer of action films . The flick will appeal to adrenaline lovers and young people are looking for strong emotions . Rating : Average but very entertaining . Well worth watching . It's a must see for the bikers buffs .

For idiot exploitation movie-goers only; one of the worst movies of the year...

[Quinoa1984 · 4/10 · 17 January 2004]

The only thing I don't regret about seeing Toque is that I didn't have to pay for it. If I did, I would go right now to Warner Brothers and ask them for at least a partial refund, or an explanation? How is there so much money put into a bad rip-off of any given bad biker exploitation drive-in flick from the 50's or 60's? The plot is near non-existent, mostly giving Ice Cube time to give him one-faced/voiced performance (which isn't that good considering the script, anyway), and for scenes of chases and violence and rage that have no conviction or thrilling moments whatsoever. I'm not even sure who would WANT to go see this movie, unless they're dragged to it by a movie-goer who doesn't know better.

Bottom line, I'd rather watch a Roger Corman type of biker film from the old days- they may have been cheap, shlocky entertainment, but at least they knew it and had fun with it. Torque is one of those action-movie nightmares where you can sense all the actors and extras and stunt-people just wanting the movie to end so they can go on with their lives. Neal H. Moritz needs to re-think his strategies as a producer after this (then again, this IS a January release film, so it could not have come out at a better time). F

A pleasant surprise

[jeremyrodriguez · 8/10 · 14 September 2004]

I caught this movie on DVD the other day. I thought it was going to be terrible. It was actually great! The action goods are all there, but five minutes into it I got the joke and was laughing with it (not at it). I don't think this movie will appeal to everyone, but it will get two types for sure: action gearheads who just want a solid uncomplicated action picture, and smart viewers who can appreciate clever film-making and the in-jokes threaded throughout. After seeing the cameo of Dennis Weaver still being chased by the truck from Duel after thirty years, I was won over by the Torque's own charms. First of all it the director, cinematographer, and editor did a great job. This film looks incredible. For those of you who actually care about film-making, this film is densely loaded with interesting angles and techniques that somehow manage to work as a cohesive style. I love the way Joseph Kahn stages scenes. It's very creative and he has a sharp sense of timing - action and comedywise. An overlooked first effort and I would like to see more from him. Second, I thought Martin Henderson as Cory Ford did a solid job as your typical running from the law good guy. I liked his charisma and hope he does more action flicks. There are some standout sequences but my favorites are the opening car chase, the train sequence, the freeway, and the surreal, over-the-top Playstation style ending. What's great is that each has its own feel so that there is no sense of repetition. You feel like each chase brings something new to the table, unlike other ilk of this genre. Need I say anything about the women in this film? Wow. I would let Jaime Pressly ride my bike anytime she wants. A word about the bad reviews here: ignore them. The film is too good as an action movie to be dismissed - what are the looking for, Cold Mountain? Disregard anyone who complains about the "pepsi product placement" for that is most definitely someone who did not get the joke (two motorcycle dominatrix chicks staged opposite from each other under big prominent soft drink signs - classic!). I think the movie suffers from a minor contradiction - it's script is too dumb, but it's film-making is too smart. Yes, the story is crap, but you don't watch a motorcycle chase movie for STORY. If you sit back and enjoy this modern riff on Roger Corman, you might find a smile on your face. If you have the ability to appreciate the sly wit of smart visual film-making, you could find yourself cheering like I did. Worst movie ever? Ridiculous. Three 1/2 out of five stars, maybe more.

S10 Reviews: Torque (2004)

[suspiria10 · 7/10 · 21 August 2005]

Ford (Martin Henderson – The Ring) is back in town to make things right. His return from a short exile in Thailand doesn't come without consequences. The cops think he's a drug dealer and the real dealer wants the motorcycles that Ford was to deliver to him not to mention his girl (Monet Mazur – yum) has written him off. To add to Ford's problems a rival bike gang wants his head on a spit for the killing of the leader's (Ice Cube) brother. He will need all the bike skills in the world to fight his way out of this mess.

Hot on the heel of "The Fast and the Furious", "Torque" is the motorcycle equivalent. The film is one cliché after the other. But it is loud and the cast is likable. Good looking bad boys and deadly and gorgeous bad girls are all over the place but hey a film like this is all glitz with little substance. The film has unbelievable action sequences that make James Bond look real but are presented in a decent enough way that made me enjoy the film for what it is…good dumb fun.

Uh...yeah, whatever.

[Stoli_Raz_N_7 · 4/10 · 9 October 2004]

Normally when viewing a film, I like to think I'm more capable of a suspension of disbelief than most people. If the action is tight, and the screenwriters and directors at least attempt to compensate for holes in the story...I'm game. But with this film, "suspension of disbelief" just doesn't seem to cover it. Before I go any further, let me simply say that I didn't bother with seeing 2 Fast 2 Furious. The first film in that franchise sucked enough, and I just didn't see the point in viewing the sequel. On that note, let me say that I shall make no comparison of this film to that. Now, as to the adjustment of a commonly overused plot line to this supposed world of underground biker gangs - chalk it up to the Hollywood producers doing anything for a buck. The biggest problem that I had with this film is the very thing it touted so highly: the intense action. Women fighting with motorcycle kung-fu...guys brawling on motorcycles traveling at over 200 mph through L.A. traffic...Ice Cube landing a motorcycle on top of a moving train. Um...yeah, whatever. While it may seem cool to pimply-face thirteen-year-olds who spank it to e-pics of Jaime Pressly when mommy and daddy aren't home, this film couldn't possibly be taken seriously by anyone with an IQ over 85.