Taxi

Review by Clint Morris

Sure, it drives fast, but in any part of his movie does Tim Story's Taxi change into second gear?

Quite simply: No.

But is it a pleasurable ride? Yes. But remember at near $15 bucks a pop, the meter's still running so you'd wanna be getting at least something out of your traverse.

A loose remake of a slick French film of the same name, the Hollywood-ized Taxi puts laughs first and, unlike its predecessor, action second.

But with Jimmy 'SNL' Fallon and Queen Latifah driving, you wouldn't want the film to drive towards anything other than humour. And for the most part, it's the witty duo's banter that keeps the redo mildly engaging.

It's former bike messenger Belle's (Queen Latifah) first day on the job as a New York City Taxi Driver. She's rather pumped about the opportunity to chauffer Manhattan-ites around too - and why wouldn't she be? It gives her a chance to test out her state-of-the-art automobile equipped with hydraulics.

Officer Andy Washburn (Jimmy Fallon), more 'New York's most bumbling' than 'New York's Finest', throws a spanner in the works when he commandeers her taxi. He's lost his license - not that he can drive well anyway, as we'll later discover - and needs someone to quickly scoot him over to a Bank where a team of bank robbers have just busted in for loot.

Next thing Belle knows she's glued to the dunce until they can take down the bandits - soon revealed to be four French women, who look more like models than criminals - without the rest of the force's assistance.

There are two main ingredients to Story's "Taxi". Queen Latifah and Car Chases. The former is exceedingly amiable in the movie, keeping many of the gags afloat, when they might otherwise have dived like an Olympic champ.

Whilst Fallon's okay, Latifah doesn't seem to be trying as hard to make her lines and character work - while he does. The stars though are the chases. They're great. Some well-staged stuff for your peepers to get a gaze on here.

Taxi is a forgettable jaunt, but it gets you where you want to go.

3 out of 5

Taxi
Australian release: Thursday November 11th
Cast: Queen Latifah, Jimmy Fallon, Henry Simmons, Jennifer Esposito, Gisele Bundchen, Ingrid Vandebosch, Ana Cristina De Oliveira, Ann-Margret, Magali Amadei, Christian Kane.
Director: Tim Story.
Website: Click here.

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