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Fastest Five: Watch the Sexiest Car Chases
Burning rubber, wheelies and screeches have always looked great on the big screen.
We all know the best car chases of all time were in Bullitt, The French Connection and Vanishing Point. But, as a film like Fast Five, hitting theatres this Friday would say, it's time to look to the new. Here then are my pick of the most incredible car chases over the last decade or so.
Wanted
In Timur Bekmambetov's visually stunning thrillride, hapless leading man James McAvoy frantically and breathlessly runs from a truck only to see a screeching Dodge Viper come to his aid.
Driven by Angelina Jolie, the fiery scarlet sportscar comes straight at his cowering form, only to drift into a 360 degree turn so smooth it scoops him right up.
Moments later, seeing a police roadblock ahead, Jolie jumps the whole thing sideways, lands on the side of a bus, toppling it flat, and then uses it as a ramp to speed across. It's insanely awesome.
The Dark Knight
In this rather breathtaking chase down the midnight-soaked streets of Gotham, Christopher Nolan amps it up as Heath Ledger's Joker commandeers a massive truck only to have Christian Bale's Batman follow him relentlessly on a Bat-Bike.
Batman blows up stuff and scares folks as he zips outdoors and in to catch up with the truck, only to seemingly challenge the Joker to a game of chicken. They face off with the Joker relishing each moment, only to see the Batman miss -- except he hasn't.
In a move of tremendous bravado, he lassoes the truck and brings it down, and it's hard not to applaud even while watching it for the dozenth time.
Casino Royale
Sure, Quantum Of Solace might have technically had a better 'chase' per se, but nothing beats this one for sheer unexpected impact.
James Bond sees Vesper Lynd being nabbed from a hotel and bolts to his Aston Martin, revs it up and flies to her defence.
He scowls determinedly, lifting the car off the ground while flooring the throttle, and is stunned to see her lying on the road, bound and gagged, right in front of him. He swerves desperately and takes that lovely car through dozens of disturbingly loud somersaults in the process. A stunner, this.
The Rock
Sir Sean Connery in a Hummer. Nicolas Cage in a Ferrari.
They rip up the streets of San Francisco in this rollicking chase that takes it's own sweet time getting to the point, but makes sure nobody's complaining.
Connery gets out of the haircut in the most badassed way possible, rushes in and grabs a Hummer waiting for a parking valet.
A furious Cage rushes out, ejects a valet from a canary yellow Ferrari F355 and takes off after him. The result is as fun as it gets, especially with the two Oscar-winning actors clearly having an on-screen blast.
Gone In 60 Seconds
Alright, so the modern day remake wasn't a patch on the 1974 Gone In 60 Seconds, which is honestly more car chase than film -- and which automatically makes it immortal -- but the flashy remake deserves a spot on this list simply because of the affectionate hyperbole it bestows on the legendary Shelby GT500.
The car's called Eleanor is a 1967 Shelby instead of a 73 Shelby like in the original, but by golly, is it special. And it is that lore that makes this long scene so bloody dramatic.