Drive

Nicolas Winding Refn's 2011 film, Drive, is a neo-noir action film. It is a unique thriller, that blends its violence and romance into something that is rare in the action genre. Though the dialogue is minimal, and honestly somewhat lacking at times, Drive makes up for it in cinematography, style, and music. 

The camera angles found in Drive are quite unique. The shots are purposefully made asymmetrical. yet balanced at the same time. Often, when there is a group of three together in a scene, they are stacked on top of one another on one side. This is found several times throughout the movie.

There is a very surreal quality to Drive, which I haven't seen in many other action movies. Between the bright, faded and washed-out pastel colors, the persistently sunny weather, and the 80's electronic pop soundtrack, the action and the intensity of the situations the characters are in is almost downplayed. The color palette for Drive is either very soft and pastel, or very bright and vibrant. It pretty much juxtaposes much of the action and violence that goes on alongside these color schemes. It uses all the colors that you would imagine being in a commercial for California tourism, showing off the ideally relaxing and vacation-like mood you usually would associate Los Angeles with. It provides a dream-like atmosphere, even in the scenes depicting violence. The addition of its electro-pop soundtrack only adds to this effect, with the use of its synthesizers.

The artistry of Drive is very stylized, and it is very clear that it serves more as an independent film. It is almost unpredictable when something violent is truly about to happen, and that is due to it's relaxed nature. It is something you do not see very often, an action movie that keeps you engaged throughout.