Sci-Fi Action Martial Arts Thrill Ride Is The Best ’90s Secret Ever, Stream Without Netflix
For those old enough to remember, Hong Kong’s ownership transition between the British and the Chinese government was the source of international contention in the 1990s. In 1997, the year that the transition was formalized, the Steve Wang-directed Drive movie capitalized on some of those fears and gave audiences a sci-fi action thriller that was tragically overlooked in its day. A buddy comedy set against the backdrop of international espionage and high-tech fighting equipment, Drive is the film you’ll want to stream next.
Super-Enhanced Martial Arts
Drive follows Hong Kong special agent Toby Wong (Mark Dacascos) as he flees from the city just before it becomes under the authority of the Chinese government. The movie reveals that Wong has been implanted with a piece of biotech equipment that gives him superhuman abilities, making him faster and stronger than even the most advanced athletes. Wong sneaks into the United States, where he plans to have the device removed and sold to a private company in Los Angeles.
Road Trip
Wong’s journey in Drive is complicated by the Chinese government’s strong desire to get their hands on the equipment that Wong has been outfitted with. The movie character’s built-in tracking device allows a hired bounty hunter/assassin named Vic Madison (John Pyper-Ferguson) to stay close behind. After landing in San Francisco, Wong needs to find a way south to Los Angeles and finds that opportunity in a new relationship with Malik Brody (Kadeem Hardison).
Early In A Star’s Career
The two unlikely partners meet in a bar where Madison and his cronies attempt to catch Wong. An epic fight erupts, ending when a fleeing Wong snags Brody and takes him hostage. The Drive movie shows the two men becoming friendly toward each other as they fight to stave off more attacks from Madison and make their way to Los Angeles.
The duo adds a third to their journey after meeting young Deliverance Bodine (Brittany Murphy) when they stop at a motel along the way and are attacked again by Madison. Bodine turns out to be quite the expert at gun combat and gives Wong and Malik a great partner to finish out their mission.
Brisk Martial Arts Mayhem
Drive combines fast-paced action with intricate science fiction themes to give audiences an adrenaline-surging ride over the course of its 99-minute run time. The over-the-top gun battles that occur throughout the film between Toby’s entourage and Madison are pure 90s action film fodder, balancing the litany of hand-to-hand combat sequences that are akin to a Jackie Chan movie.
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Drive is one of the more violent buddy comedies of its time and has been considered by some to be “Rush Hour before there was Rush Hour.” Dacascos and Hardison play off each other akin to a low-rent version of the Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker team-up but are nonetheless effective in keeping audience interest with well-timed, witty banter in between action sequences.
Adding a young Brittany Murphy to the mix serves to elevate the movie, as the actress worked to make Deliverance Bodine one of the more memorable supporting female characters to ever blast enemies away on screen.
You can stream Drive for free with the Tubi movie app, and then check out the GenreVision podcast and see if you agree with the hosts.
