Post by Mr.HoRrOr on Aug 30, 2011 16:37:49 GMT -5
Plot:Late one night, a mysterious car is brought into the Chicago police impound garage after a deadly traffic accident. The on-call mechanics soon discover the car has a mind of its own. With hundreds of horsepower and two tons of reinforced steel at its command, it's a seemingly unstoppable killing machine capable of outrunning -- and outwitting -- humans.
Cast:
Oded Fehr
Shannon Beckner
Ryan Kennedy
My Thoughts:It's a Decepticon!!
Review:"Super Hybrid" (retitled from Hybrid to make the DVD release far more attractive to casual renters)...follows a starange automobile which it's established early on in the film, is not your average "ride". It can shapeshift into all sorts of different vehicles. And even set traps to snare potential victims. An example is displayed when at the beginning of the movie, two teens leaving a club find the vehicle which has transformed itself into a slick red porsche of sorts. They step inside, and get more than they bargained for.
As in, the car literally devours and swallows them whole. The car after that, then drives off but gets into an accident. Upon which it's then taken to a police impound garage. While there, it sets its "high beams" on new victims. The way the movie starts off is pretty interesting. It leaves the question hanging though, if the vehicle got itself into an accident on purpose. So it could be delivered to a location where it could have more people to feed on. But the killer car subgenre has been dormant for some time now.
I can't remember in fact, the last time a movie about a killer car or truck or vehicle was made. Well, one that actually was seen by more than 50 or so people that is. This one though is simple, and to the point. So in that regard, it provides a decent helping of entertainment for 94 minutes or so. The good thing is, Eric Valette's film doesn't waste too much time with stopping the action. Once the car is taken into custody. It is not long before it claims its first victim at the garage, and then goes on to claim more. But not before sme obligatory close call moments are thrown in.
Like for example, just when you think the car will strike and eat another mechanic, someone walks up and breaks the suspense of the scene. But at some point, the car gets pissed off at all of the teases, and just decides to reveal itself to the garages employees. Including it's douchebag'ish-owner played by Oded Fehr. It's kind of funny seeing Fehr play a big-city-meanie in this film, but hey it takes place in Chicago, so someone has to be the "tough guy" of the group.
Might as well be Fehr, considering the only other vital male lead in the movie is the pretty boy type. And is too busy flirting with our leading lady, played by Shannon Beckner. Once the car "is up"s it's own jig, the employees of the garage are then thrust into a fight for their lives against the four-wheeled killer. And that's when the movie gets entertaining. Considering the movie spends most of it's time inside this one garage, the film could've easily become a snoozer quickly.
But there's enough suspense-filled "whew!" moments, and "almost-got em" scenes strolled across the movies final 70 minutes or so to keep things fun and interesting. The car itself is also a vicious beast. It goes for the kill quickly, early, and often. It also morphs a lot, and relies on wreckless abandon to get at it's targets. It's also got some interesting tools at it's disposal in it's bag of tricks. And popping a wheelie isn't one of them. If there was a glaring weakness to this movie though, it would be the car itself and it's bag of tricks, persay.
For example, the car at one point uses some sort of high frequency sound to weaken one of it's potential "snacks". To make getting to them easier. It seems this car does a lot of stuff that is never really explained or reasoned. The film doesn't drop any hard clues about what the car is, but the car could easily be labeled as a Decepticon considering it's pure evil, lives to kill humans apparently, and likes to transform a lot to fool it's victims. You could call "Super Hybrid" "Transformers:The Lost Chronicles" in fact. Abouta lost Decepticon who finds it's way to a Chicago auto-garage.
Only this movie wouldn't include any autobots, and the cartoonish violence wouldn't be omnipresent. "Super Hybrid"s best moments though take place with it's chase sequences and when the entire garage goes dark, and what's left of the humans...have to do battle with the "evil-mobile" with little to no light available to them. The films climax is pretty sweet though, and I guess in some way, we kind of learn the secret behind the "super hybrid"? Although still, the movies biggest strength is not giving out too much info on the origins or functions of it's metallic-antagonist.
But again, the problems come in when the car starts displaying quasi-super powers, and the viewer is left wondering exactly wtf is going on? Overall though, for something new and fresh at your local video store on a Saturday night. Meaning something not involving annoying teens, a psycho in a mask, ghosts, or cannibals on a farm..."Super Hybrid" is worth a rent. If not for everything I mentioned in the review, then for the films hilarious final scene which actually has the balls to go in the direction that it does.
Positives:The Super Hybrid is a bad ass antagonist. The death scenes aren't super bloody but are graphic enough to get by. The suspense and entertainment levels are decent. And the final act is quite fun. Cool and funny final scene also, which again has balls.
Negatives:The car rocks but when its abilities begin to border on the supernatural or above reproach, I think at that moment...a little bit more explanation about the evil-auto is needed.
Overall:Three stars out of four.