Those in the know in the world of cinema will tell you that Edgar Wright belongs to a rare breed of directors. Known for his clever quick cuts and visual comedy that dates back to his early days directing the underwatched Spaced TV series to his famous Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, Wright has been able to inject his signature trademarks on just about any genre of film, along the likes of other visionary modern directors such as Quentin Tarantino or Christopher Nolan. Think Wright's 2004 debut Shaun of the Dead, which gave a hilarious British take on George A. Romero's (RIP) Dead series, or Hot Fuzz's small scale lampooning of Michael Bay's explosion-o-thons, right down to the visual treat that was Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

Four years after The World's End, Wright's back with the action thriller Baby Driver. The idea of a getaway driver fueled by music is an idea floating in Wright's mind for a good part of two decades, and was the source of Mint Royale's 'Blue Song' music video for which he directed in 2003 (Baby Driver's opening minutes mirrors this). However, those accustomed to Wright's comedies may find Baby Driver to be a different beast altogether that still retains the famous visual cues seen in his earlier works. This isn't to say that Baby Driver is short of the funnies, as it's still packed with impeccable comedic timing, whereby scenes involving Michael Myer masks and Monsters Inc. are noteworthy stand-outs. Just don't go in expecting a Simon Pegg fence-jumping cameo.

Inspired by the 1994 track Bellbottoms from The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the same tune kicks off the events of Baby Driver with a bank robbery and an intense 'cops & robbers' car chase through the city of Atlanta, as we establish Baby (Ansel Elgort) as a menace behind the wheel, or the 'Mozart in a go-kart' as christened by crime boss Doc (Kevin Spacey). Tired of the horrifying violence that is part of the job, particularly an even more terrifying set of criminals for which he 'chauffeurs', Baby is determined to end his association in the criminal underbelly after he's met the girl of his dreams in the form of Debora (Lily James), and is determined to make this job his last.

Baby's tinnitus serves as the perfect excuse to turn Baby Driver into a two hour long musical, and it excels in the way it integrates the music with every passing scene. You may appreciate the songs used in this year's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 or T2: Trainspotting, but none of their scenes are as well choreographed with a song in mind as Baby Driver. From the 'Bellbottoms' opening to a stroll through the streets on Bob & Earl's 'Harlem Shuffle', continuing on with Focus's 'Hocus Pocus' and ending with a frantic third act revolving around Queen's 'Brighton Rock', every cut, drift, gunshot or explosion are so synchronized to the tunes, you'll thought the songs were based off these scenes in question.

Baby Driver is ultimately Ansel Elgort's star vehicle, and the man certainly shines amidst the stack of A-listers on show. I never warmed to his character in The Fault in Our Stars, but his portrayal of Baby is the epitome of cool. A man of a few words, Baby lets his driving do the talkin', and even off the wheels he's a protagonist that audiences will surely root for, especially once he's met Debora waltzing on the street while on his coffee run. Like the aviator craze from Tom Cruise's Top Gun, expect Baby's black shades to be all the rage in due time. Lily James, though having a great individual singing scene at a local diner, is reduced to the damsel in distress towards the end of the film.

While Baby is as cool as a cucumber, his getaway partners are off on the opposite spectrum, and none of them comes off as crazy as Jamie Foxx's psychotic Bats and Jon Hamm's mysterious Buddy, who along with Eiza Gonzalez's Darling all brought their A-game as genuinely interesting foils to the main character and this universe. A spin-off of them three? Definitely. Kevin Spacey's Doc is a mix of of House of Cards' manipulative Frank Underwood and his wisecracking character from Horrible Bosses, and is a joy to watch in every scene, even if he doesn't get his hands dirty. Ansel Elgort may get most of the plaudits here, but it's this batch of talented supporting act that really pulls the film together, elevating the zaniness of Baby Driver up a few notches.

He's done it again. Edgar Wright's latest is the perfect marriage of choreographed song and action, as it shifts to a high gear right away in its opening scene, and rarely finds the need to ever slow down. Its infectious soundtrack will have your foot thumping and your shoulders strutting, as you'll now associate each of these classic funky beats to Baby Driver's numerous memorable scenes. Heck, Bellbottoms will never be the same again. Baby Driver is a rare original cinematic gem that is bound to be a future cult classic on its own.

9.0 / 10


"Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen
Right now I got to tell you about the fabulous
Most groovy...... Bellbottoms"