Like any blockbuster hit that comes out of Hollywood, imitators are more than likely to follow suit. 2001’sThe Fast and the Furioussaw a plethora of adrenaline-rush action pictures inspired by the modestly budgeted street car hit, ranging fromBiker BoyztoOverdrive. Among those films aiming to quench the thirst of Fast & Furiousfans was the 2004 biker revenge thrillerTorque. At first glance,Torqueappears to be just another knockoff ofVin Diesel’s billion-dollar franchise with motorcycles replacing souped-up exports on four wheels. Produced by Fast & Furious producerNeal H. Moritz, theIce Cube-led vehiclecarries many of the hit franchise’s over-the-top action sequences, an actor from the first installment, slick MTV-style visuals, and plenty of eye candy along the way.Torque’s lack of originality with aWarriors-like premise and mindless entertainment, however, was dismissed by critics with a 22% rating onRotten Tomatoes. Yet, what the critics did not realize at the time was thatTorquewas intentionally poking fun at the genre that it was also aiming to emulate.
‘Torque’ Predated the Absurdity of the ‘Fast & Furious’ Sequels
Set in and around a stylized Southern California, street biker and smuggler Cary Ford (Martin Henderson) gets into a physical altercation on the road with Junior (Fredro Starr), a member of the Inglewood-based crew called the Reapers, led by his brother Trey Wallace (Cube). Simultaneously, Ford gets in the crosshairs of another gang called the Hellions, led by Henry James (Matt Schulze,who played Diesel’s pal inThe Fast and The Furious),who orders the main hero to return his bikes containing crystal meth.The three parties cross paths at a biker nightclub where Junior gets murdered by the Hellions over a drug deal gone south.
When Hellion member China (Jaime Pressly) informs law enforcement that Ford was responsible for Junior’s death, a vengeance-fueled Trey leads the charge in tracking down Ford, his girlfriend, Shane (Monet Mazur), and biker pals Dalton (Jay Hernandez) and Val (Will Yun Lee). As Ford seeks to prove his innocence to Trey, he is also tracked down by a whimsical federal agent (Adam Scott) who realizes there’s more going on than just a biker gang war. Twists and turns ensue before an energy-drink-infused climactic showdown between Ford, Henry, and Trey.
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The overall tone ofTorqueresembles the laterFast & Furioussequelswith a leave-your-brain-at-the-door approach to storytelling and character development. Where the first Fast installment byRob Cohentook itself seriously as an action soap opera with street cars as the backdrop,Torque’s directorJoseph Khanleaned on the absurdity of the genre. Known for directing music videos for stars such asBritney Spears,Taylor Swift, andEminem, Khan toldThe /Filmcastpodcast in 2010 thathe intended for the biker movie to be a “piss-take” of the exploits of Dominic Torretto and his family. This is evident asTorquegoes out of its way to insult the Fast movies between its opening sequence of Henderson outrunning street cars on the highway to quoting Diesel’s iconic “quarter-mile at a time” dialogue before Mazur’s Shane replies, “That’s the dumbest thing I have ever heard.”
Adam Scott Chews Up the Scenery in ‘Torque'
Despite all the brain-out-the-door excitement, Henderson is the only actor giving a real performance in contrast to Cube sticking with his signature no-nonsense persona. Speaking mostly in one-liners with a scowl and sometimes a smirk, Henderson channelsClint Eastwoodwithout much backstory to work with. By emphasizing the drama of the revenge tale, he ends up givingTorqueextra unintentional humor between riding bikes in CGI-driven sequences and his ridiculous dialogue in flirtation scenes with Mazur. Butthe real actor who steals the show is Scott as FBI Agent McPherson. Predating his breakout roles onParks and Recreationas well asSeverance, Scott chews up the scenery with his laid-back attitude towards pursuing Ford, donning a T-shirt with a cheap blazer and Converse sneakers. He’s written to be less aggressive and extremely more sarcastic thanTommy Lee JonesinThe Fugitive. While his casting is out of place withTorque’s collection of macho men,Scott gives the thriller a breath of fresh air anytime he appears on screen.
By predating the surreal levels of insane video game-style action and soap opera twists thatlater Fast installments would embrace,Torqueis made to be experienced like having a Red Bull in the morning. Trying to top the initial practical stunts of the originalThe Fast and the Furious,TorquefeaturesMatrix-like moments such as Henderson and Cube’s motorcycles riding along a moving train, a chase sequence involving Henderson stealing a NASCAR vehicle from a truck, and part of its climax where Mazur and Preessly catfight each other on bikes in a sequence straight out of aCharlie’s Angelsmovie. It is not a movie made to win Oscars or win over professional critics. Based on the cartoon CGI-driven finale with Henderson and Schulze racing against each other in downtown Los Angeles,Torqueis aimed at video game lovers and anyone with aneed for speed.
