Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on November 2013

Although the story of a guilt-ridden everyman father going undercover against the drug gangs to save his clueless son is so stale that it’s growing mold, this passable action-thriller gives Dwayne Johnson the opportunity to do more than scowl and spout one-liners. It’s his best work to date. He actually out-acts costar Susan Sarandon, but to be fair she’s just ticking over on idle here. The dialogue’s pulpy and the hand-held camerawork’s nauseating, but the story is character-driven an at least toys with moral ambiguity before getting to the 18-wheeler chase. Japanese title: Overdrive. (112 min)