88 Films UK Blu-ray Synopsis: Starring Mark Dacascos (Crying Freeman, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) and Kadeem Hardison (I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Vampire In Brooklyn) This fast and furious action flick combines the superhero film with the cop buddy movie in a high-octane chase feature populated with explosive Shaw Brothers style martial arts set pieces in a bombastically entertaining slice of nineties fun. When special agent Toby Wong (Dacascos) is fitted with an advanced bio device giving him superhuman powers he fears that he and the new technology will be exploited for ill gain when the Chinese government takes back control of Hong Kong. Fleeing to San Francisco he plans to sell the device to a company in Los Angeles but when he teams up with down on his luck singer Malik (Hardison) he finds himself being pursued by ruthless assassin Madison and his band of mercenaries. Like a sort of mash-up of Robocop, Iron Man and Lethal Weapon with added Kung Fu, this unashamed hybrid genre piece will keep you hooked with its thrill a minute pace and fabulous science fiction premise. (118 Mins)

 

Medusa Pictures UK DVD Synopsis: Starring action-superstar Mark Dacascos and outrageous comedy talent Kadeem Hardison, Drive fuses ultra-slick fight-action with stunning camerawork and inspired editing to deliver the best martial arts action-adventure ever made by a Hollywood Studio! For 'Drive', visionary director Steve Wang worked with partner and ace fight-choreographer Koichi Sakamoto, to evolve a ground-breaking formula for the presentation of martial arts action sequences, which is unparalleled outside the Far East, and gives Drive a distinctive 'live wire' quality which has so far endeared it to festival audiences all over the world, and won for the movie two prestigious awards (even beating Jackie Chan's Drunken Master 2 for the Best International Film at the 3rd Annual Fant-Asia Festival in Montreal). If you are regularly disappointed by the quality of Western Martial Arts Action Adventures – enjoy the difference... Drive will blow you away! (112 Mins)

 

Columbia Tristar UK VHS Synopsis: The year is 2008. Having been dumped by both his employer and his wife, Malik (Kadeem Hardison – Dead Presidents) doesn't think his life can get much worse. However, he soon realises his mistake when, sitting in a pub, four gunmen burst in and try to grab a fellow patron – who in turn seizes Malik as his human shield as he uses devastating martial arts skills to fight his way out. As the two men flee by car, Malik learns that his kidnapper, Toby (Mark Dacascos – Crying Freeman) is being hunted down by a powerful corporation, eager to steal the prototype of a bio-tech system which enhances physical performance – and just happens to be implanted in Toby's chest! Gathering both friends and enemies on route, Malik and Toby head for the ultimate showdown – where Toby must face a technologically superior assassin – the only force capable of brining him down... (95 Mins)

 

Views: Set in the year 2008, Drive tells the story of special agent Toby Wong who has made his way to the US to escape a powerful Chinese tech company. Infused with a hi-tec bio-chip that has been implanted in his chest; a chip that gives him a massive power-up which enhances his speed and martial arts abilities, Wong's intention is to sell the product to the highest bidder so that he can leave his old life behind. Along the way, Toby indirectly befriends barfly Malik after he takes him hostage and forces him to drive, but it doesn't long for the tech companies hired thugs to catch up with them. Together, the new friends must fight for their lives in a blistering adventure of fast-paced martial arts action, shoot-outs and explosions, as well as a breath taking finale that puts Toby up against a deadly assassin who has been enhanced with an upgraded chip of his own...

 

Every so often, a film comes along that just really catches your attention. It may not be perfect, but it quickly becomes a firm favourite and never tires no matter how many times you go back to it. Drive is one of those films, and I just love it! I suppose it comes as no surprise since I had always been a huge fan of Steve Wang's sci-fi adventures, The Guyver and Guyver:Dark Hero, as well as having a massive crush on the amazing Mark Dacascos. The debut screenplay of writer Scott Phillips, Drive fast garnered a cult following with two versions released in different territory's – the Directors Cut coming in at just under 2 hours, and the home video release that was chopped down to a healthy 95 mins although with a brand new soundtrack and some major plot points dropped. Over the years I have bought Drive on ex-rental VHS and DVD but now, thankfully, this new 4K restored Blu-ray (and alternate UHD) release from 88 Films gives fans the chance to experience both versions of the film, of which I have to say, have never looked better!

 

I think it's safe to say that Drive carries vibes of both Rush Hour and The Matrix (without going as deep on the sci-fi side of things), and even pre-dates both movies by a year or two. Toby is most definitely a 'Neo' of sorts – and most certainly a much better fighter – with the pairing of Mark Dacascos and Kadeem Hardison proving to be equally as funny and exciting as Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker were. I would even goes as far to say that the action-choreography in Drive is miles better than what was on offer in Brett Ratner's blockbuster flick, and Jackie is my absolute hero, but that's the thing about Drive – it is that good, it should have been so much more! So much bigger! And it should have had at least one fucking sequel!! But yet it didn't and it wasn't, and that's just a damn shame because everyone involved deserved to get so much more out of this. Steve Wang is a great guy. I've had the pleasure of chatting with him over the years and interviewed him for my Invincible Asia YouTube channel, and I whole-heartedly have hoped and wished for the moment that he would return to the directors chair with a third Guyver movie, or something more akin to this. The Taiwanese-born filmmaker got his first taste of directing when he worked as the 2nd Unit Director on Donald Jackson's Roller Blade Warriors in 1989. He had already been working as a visual effects artist on films such as Invaders From Mars, Evil Dead 2, and Beetlejuice as well as working in the make-up department on the fun Hell Comes To Frogtown and Games Of Survival, and honing his work as an effects sculptor in my childhood favourites such as Harry & The Hendersons, Predator, The Monster Squad and more. Of course, Steve would go on to work as one of Hollywood's most wanted FX artists and lent his talents to films such as Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Godzilla, Reign Of Fire, Darkness Falls, Underworld, Blade Trinity, Hellboy, Aquaman, Aliens Vs Predator, and most recently, Bill & Ted Face The Music – as well as many others, including his own. After co-directing The Guyver with Screaming Mad George (the infamous FX artist of whom he worked with on multiple occasions), a hugely enjoyable adaptation of the famed manga/anime series, Wang set out to direct his own feature with the brilliant Kung Fu Rascals – a wild kung-fu parody that also saw him take the lead role and deliver a host of wild creature characters with his impressive FX work. While Kung Fu Rascals didn't really gain him the attention he deserved, Steve's next move was to direct a sequel to The Guyver a couple of years later with he brilliant Guyver: Dark Hero. This time, Steve ramped up the action and FX work to produce a fantastic sci-fi action-flick which is still loved by many fans around the world today. This, of course, soon led to Drive with Steve eventually moving into the television world as a director working on the Power Rangers and Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight shows – with the latter being one of his biggest inspirations as a child.

 

Of course, a big part of what makes Drive so special is the fact that it shows some of the greatest martial arts action ever put on-screen, along with some painful looking stunt-work. This is all thanks to Japanese-born stuntman, director, and fight choreographer Koichi Sakamoto and his Alpha Stunts team who have had a long history of making fight fans very happy from countless episodes of the infamous Power Rangers to Kamen Rider shows, and Jeff Wincott movies such as Martial Law 2: Undercover, Mission Of Justice, and Martial Outlaw, and others such as Vanishing Son 3 & 4, Savate, Sword Of Honor, Beverly Hills Ninja and more. The Guyver: Dark Hero would be the first time Koichi and Steve would really work their magic together before going on to Drive which, I believe, highlights some of Koichi's finest work. Around the same time, Koichi would begin his own journey as a director on the Power Rangers show, going on to be one of the series' most sought after directors for almost two decades. A few years later he would take Power Ranger Johnny Yong Bosch aside to direct him in Wicked Game, Sakamoto's first feature film, with the pair returning to work together in 2008 on the fun Broken Path. And while he has produced, choreographed, and directed a host of wonderful shows since the late 90s (and is still going strong today), I think it would be fair to say that his work here in Drive stands strong as his most successful and most recognised works in the world of action cinema. But such a statement can only be confirmed when the talents of one such choreographer are put together with an equally talented martial artist, and for Drive (as we all know) Steve Wang secured the amazing and gorgeous Mark Dacascos as his leading man. The first time I ever saw Mark was as Kenjiro Sanga in the fun American Samurai alongside David Bradley. I had an instant crush on the star and knew that one day, he would make a splash as a martial arts actor. The brilliant Only The Strong quickly followed with the live-action adaptation of (computer game) Double Dragon promising to make him a star – something that didn't really happen as the film was ridiculously cheesy and about 20 years too early in regards to the FX work needed. Regardless though, Mark still shone brightly and was definitely the best thing about it. Over the next few years, the young star would appear in a number of films and TV shows making quite the impression in films such as Kickboxer 5: The Redemption and the awesome Crying Freeman in a role that should have made him a household name! While we all thought that Drive would be the one that really did elevate his status, Mark quickly found himself stuck in B-movie territory once again with films such as Boogie Boy, Sanctuary, and The Base following before he landed the lead role of Eric Draven in The Crow: Stairway To Heaven for 22 episodes. An appearance in the popular Martial Law would follow that gave Mark the chance to face-off against the legendary Sammo Hung – the very same person he name dropped in Drive when he was asked his name by the police. It seemed that the turn-of-the-century was looking up for him with a role in Stanley Tong's fun China Strike Force, and a hugely memorable turn in Christophe Gans historical action-horror hybrid Brotherhood Of The Wolf before going on to fight Jet Li in Cradle To The Grave just a couple of years later. But alas, it seemed that Mark's star was never going to rise any higher as more forgettable roles came in low budget films like The Hunt For Eagle One, Code Name: The Cleaner, I Am Omega, and Alien Agent with the same pattern continuing over the years, although his role as The Chairman in Iron Chef did help to secure his name in most US households. A few years later, Mark would join forces once again with Steve Wang to work on the television show Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight for about 9 episodes, and later appearances in Mortal Kombat: Legacy and Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. would peak new interest in him. 2019 proved to be a strong year for Mark that saw him cast in television shows such as Warrior and Wu Assassins for Netflix, as well as a scene stealing performance as Zero in Keanu Reeves highly regarded John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum. While his journey continues and he never seems to stop working, I am still waiting for the day that Mark Dacascos gets his dues and the recognition he so well deserves. Perhaps this new release of Drive will help do just that and reignite the spark of all involved so that we may get the chance to experience something new from them all in the near future...

 

While it certainly has its flaws, viewers can't deny the fact that Drive is such a fun ride. The charm and moves of Mark are accompanied by the quick witted ways of Kadeem Hardison and crazy antics of the late Brittany Murphy, of whom has me in stitches every time, and I'd be lying if I didn't admit to John Pyper-Ferguson being a fantastic bad guy. Japanese model-turned-actor Masaya Kato delivers a memorable performance as the villainous Advanced Model, returning to work with Mark after they shared the screen in the hugely underrated Crying Freeman only a year before, and Hawaiian-born James Shigeta has somewhat of an extended cameo as Mr. Lau – the big boss of the Chinese company determined to get their bio-chip back in one piece. My old friend Wyatt Weed returns to work with Steve once again as his Second Unit Director, and cameos as one of the scientists in the 'in-film' programme, 'Walter The Einstein Frog'. Wyatt worked with Steve on The Guyver movies and Kung Fu Rascals (where he also played Raspmutant the Mad Monk) after started in the FX department before moving into directing. Since then, he has delivered some of his own wonderful pieces including Guardian Of The Realm and the award winning Shadowland; an independent vampire film of which I released on my own DVD label back in 2010 and is worth checking out. And I guess that only leaves me to say that, with so much energy and talent involved, any self-respecting film fan should pay Drive a visit and see what all the fuss is about. I can guarantee you'll enjoy the ride!

 

Overall: One of the best martial arts movies to ever come out of Hollywood, Drive deserves a place in every fight fans' collection!

 

88 Films Blu-ray Extras: 4K Restoration of the Directors Cut & Original 100 Minute Cut, Audio Commentary with Steve Wang, Koichi Sakamoto, Mark Dacascos & Kadeem Hardison, Deleted Scenes, Interviews with Cast & Crew, Force Behind The Storm – Making of Documentary, Highway To Nowhere – Jason Tobin on Drive, Cast & Crew Biographies, Trailers

 

Medusa Pictures DVD Extras: Audio Commentary with Steve Wang, Koichi Sakamoto, Mark Dacascos & Kadeem Hardison, Deleted Scenes, Interviews with Cast & Crew, Force Behind The Storm – Making of Documentary, Cast & Crew Biographies, Photo Gallery, Trailers

​

Watch my unboxing video of this 88 Films release HERE