I've said it before, and I'll say it again....Hollywood loves a buddy movie, and as old and used up as they are, we just keep on going to see them......and why not, after all there sure to be something we couldn't have seen before...right???

Well, sort of........Drive is a low budgeted attempt to offer something a little different as buddy movies go.  Sure it has your loan gunman (in this instance, martial arts expert Mark Dacoscos, as a super powered human being), and Kadeem (remember me from TV's A Perfect World) Hardison as his hostage-cum-partner.....
Dacoscos has illegally migrated to the USA from Japan, to get away from the life of a super  being.......He's being implanted with a device to give him super human strength and there is a company in the USA that wants this device and will pay Dacoscos to get it from him.........
So as the two trek it across the USA they are followed by a bounty hunter and meet danger all the way...this leads to some truly spectacular and often very funny stunts that need to be seen to be believed...(the chainsaw sequence is a classic).....

So How Does This Transfer Hold Up???

Simitar have released Drive in the Matted Widescreen format of 2.2:1, with a majority of their DVDs being P&S only, it's great   to finally see them release in Widescreen..I just hope they can get some anamorphic DVDs out there soon......(it would have been nice to see the inclusion of Widescreen somewhere on the DVD slick as people who are familiar with Simitar DVDs would probably think this film was another P&S release)
If it wasn't for the excessive amounts of aliasing in this transfer, it would have been a pretty good looking DVD, as it has vibrant colours, with a solid black level(although the intro seems too washed out, it may be intentional though), and there is only a hint of grain and dirt specks throughout....the actual look of the film reminded me of Scream 2, but has has regrettably not been transferred quite as well......still the problem with the aliasing is no was near as bad as the original Die Hard 3 DVD from Roadshow....

As with most Simitar DVDs this one has a Dolby Pro-Logic track as default as well as a Dolby Digital 5.1 track......About the DD 5.1 track....what the hell is up with it?????.....This should have been called a Dolby Digital 4.1 track as there is NO CENTRE CHANNEL information!!!!!!..ALL the centre channel sound has been sent to the Front Left and Right channels.....As I sit smack bang in the middle of the centre channel at home, I didn't notice it quite as much..the front sound stage seems to be a distant.....but for those sitting off axis, will notice the sound shifting the the respective side speaker......I have been unable to find out if this is a stuffup from simitar or intentional, but it's a bit of a pity as it is noticeable and I find it effects the overall sound quality a little....its not that much of a problem but considering how good the sound is from the other remaining channels, it's a bit disappointing.....So other than that, there is a tonne of bass, mostly from the music, and a lot of aggression in the rear channels........again, the DLP mix is lacking in all areas and comes across quite flat

As for Features, well, there a really are none......you have your usual simitar 9 chapter per movie and film factoids and cast Bios....

Before sitting down to watch Drive I wasn't expecting much, but have to say it's a hell of a film and is a 90 minute action packed fest.......

First Reviewed 3rd May 1999

Review Equipment
TV: Pioneer SD-T50W1 (16:9 RPTV)
DVD: Samsung DVD905 (via RGB outputs)
Receiver: Marantz SR870 & Sony SDP-EP9ES
Speakers:-
     Fronts: B&W 602
     Centre: B&W CDMC-SE
     Rears: Jamo Magic 14
     Subby: M&K V125