Plot: What’s it about?
Luke (David Arquette) and Claudia (Famke Janssen) are car thieves, but not in the typical sense. When you think of a car thief you might think of a desperate, criminal element, but these two only steal the very finest cars, usually older or rare models. Luke loves vintage and rare automobiles and he doesn’t steal them for the money, but for the rush involved. He travels with his small dog and the two often just steal cars for fun, just to feel how they drive and such. Claudia doesn’t have the same taste for cars as Luke, but she is almost as skilled at the art of car theft. She will use whatever she can to finish the task, including her sexual charms as a lure. But money will be on both of their minds soon, as their boss informs them of the ultimate mission, to steal a one of a kind prototype vehicle. Whichever one brings this masterpiece back to him, will receive one billion dollars for their efforts. With the world’s most prestigious car show in town, there will be a lot of cars to make off with, but only worth that kind of cash. Both find themselves involved in affairs with members of the opposite sex along the way, but can one of them manage to pull off this risky mission and collect?
To some of you this film will seem like just a cheap rehash of Gone In Sixty Seconds, but to me this movie represents much more than that, and had me sucked in the entire time. I love ’70s cinema and one of the low budget staples of that time was car chase movies, where cool folks would boost cars and race them, like the original Gone In Sixty Seconds. These films usually had shoestring budgets, poor acting, and bad writing, but they were a hell of a lot of fun to watch. Such is the case with this movie, the production values, story, and acting won’t bowl you over, but it is a wild ride and one worth taking. One reason this one works better than most films of this ilk, is that it never takes itself too seriously and that adds a lot of charm if you ask me. You can tell this was meant to be a fun movie, not one to win awards or wow the critics. If you miss the good times of those ’70s “petal to the metal” flicks and want a modern version, then give this one a spin in your system. But if you need English accents and powdered wigs to enjoy yourself, keep away from RPM. Paramount has issued a nice disc with some cool bonus features, so whether you choose to rent or purchase, I highly recommend this title.
David Arquette, Famke Janssen, and Emmanuelle Seigner don’t exactly equal massive star power, but in this movie they all manage to shine, though not in a typical sense. You see, these three don’t supply traditional skilled work here, instead they make sure we can have fun while watching and that technique works well here. The characters are fun to watch and never become boring, while any cheese present is welcome and enjoyable. Some lines work better than others, but Arquette has the coolest (and worst, yet best delivered) line in the flick when he says, “It’s not about the money…it’s about the rush.” Call me a sucker, but it works in this film and that’s what counts. Shakespearean style wouldn’t work for this movie and as such, the actors rely on other means. Arquette’s (Ready To Rumble, Scream) acting is the worst of the three, but again it seems to work here and that’s all that matters to me. Seigner (The Ninth Gate, Bitter Moon) and Janssen (X-Men, Goldeneye) both pack massive sex appeal and use it here, very cool stuff. I never tire of Janssen’s work and I hope to see more from her soon. Ian Sharpe directed this film and while he isn’t a household name, he is more than up to the task here.
Video: How does it look?
RPM is presented in a full frame transfer, which preserves the original aspect ratio of the film. It seems at times like this film was framed for a matted 1.85:1 ratio, but this is a direct to video release, so I will not assume much. The image looks solid overall, but doesn’t come off as polished and rich as a higher budget picture. Some grain is evident in the darker scenes, but this is a flaw with the source materials and not this visual transfer. Aside from the grain and a few instances of compression slips, this is a nice transfer and better than I expected to be honest. The colors look vivid, but never bleed and they have plenty of chances to shine, with all the colorful cars and locations. The flesh tones also emerge in fine form, with natural, warm tones and no distortion. I found no flaws in the contrast aside from the slight grain at times, detail seems high and no shadow level issues here.
Audio: How does it sound?
I would have liked a full on surround remix, but the included stereo mix has no serious problems, other than limited range. The car chase/theft sequences are awesome and I think full surround sound would really light it up, but the stereo track just kinda lets you hear it without much power. It sounds good and clear in nature, but it should sound so much better, I think. Still, nothing is lost in this mix though and as such, I won’t knock it too much. The music sounds cool and this track gives it a nice, distinct place within the mix. The dialogue is also loud and clear, no volume issues in the least and no harshness is present. Optional English subtitles have also been included, as they should always be.
Supplements: What are the extras?
On this disc you’ll find a unique and fun trivia game based on the film, a trailer for the movie, some cast/crew bios, and an audio commentary track with director Ian Sharpe. This is a cool track, as Sharpe talks about the good and the bad elements within the film, which is rare among these director’s tracks. I loved listening to it and I think fans of the film will also, so give it a shot.
