Full Review

Sleek but completely vacuous, “Torque” is the first feature of director Joseph Kahn, who has previously worked mostly in the world of music videos. “Torque” certainly has the fast-paced feel of a video – both music and game. Built with a male audience of a desirable demographic age and a short attention span in mind, the film piles one outrageous action scene upon another, hoping to tickle the adrenal gland until it pops. But in going for a cheap buzz, Kahn has stripped the film of a particular tension that convinces audiences that real danger lurks around that hairpin turn, which is where the thrill lies.

Ford (shaggy-haired, impossibly good-looking Martin Henderson) has just returned home to California after a six-month hiatus in Thailand. An avid biker with leather pants and jacket (across which is emblazoned “carpe diem”) to prove it, Ford skipped town after the Feds suspected he had several motorcycles stuffed with drugs stashed at his girlfriend Shane’s (Monet Mazur) bike shop. He did, of course, but he didn’t know the gas tanks were crammed with crystal meth and anyway, the bikes belonged to local drug dealer Henry James (Matt Schulze). Ford hid the bikes just before the Feds could nab them and nail Shane. Now Ford has returned to square things with Henry – who wants his bikes back -- and reunite with Shane.

Complications naturally ensue when the younger brother of rival motorcycle gang leader Trey (Ice Cube) is murdered and Ford is framed. Henry is behind this, but Ford has to prove his innocence and deliver the drug-loaded bikes into the hands of the FBI before Henry or Trey get their hands on him. This forced, predictable narrative is surrounded by several fight scenes which are well-choreographed but devoid of any spontaneity. Some of them even teeter on the edge of grisly. On regular intervals, the obligatory race/chase scenes appear with motorcycles zipping through the California hillsides, making tight turns or squeezing through impossible escape routes.

With soap-opera names like Ford and Shane, the characters are every bit as artificial as the dopey dialogue which bloats the film to 80 or so minutes. (It could have been a 30-second commercial and had the same effect.) The actors mainly pout and pose, rarely delivering a line or offering a look that convinces the viewer of anything. It seems that Ice Cube was instructed to grit his teeth every time he spoke; either that or he had just had wisdom teeth pulled. Product placement is so prevalent as to be laughable and women are consigned to being things on which to hang skimpy clothes.

Kahn has tried to disguise the poorly written script with visual “oohs” and “ahhs.” But the result is diminishing returns as by the end, the chase sequence delves into a computer-generated special effects extravaganza that all too closely resembles a video game. Unintentionally provoking laughter in many parts, “Torque” is a glossy, high-octane, empty-calorie flick that is likely to race out of theaters as quickly as it races in.

Because of several scenes of stylized violence, some sexual references and sensuality, drug content, sporadic crass language and profanity, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

These movies have been evaluated for artistic merit and moral suitability by the media reviewing division of Catholic News Service. The reviews include the CNS rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

A-I -- general patronage;
A-II -- adults and adolescents;
A-III -- adults;
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
O -- morally offensive.

Note: Some movies previously were designated A-IV. Older films with this classification should be regarded as classified L.