Motor City: All Rock, No Talk

John Miller is a lot like Monsieur Hulot, but way more jacked up. He has little spoken dialogue, but his body language speaks loudly and painfully. Frankly, the Vietnam veteran ex-con is not the sort of bloke average people would mess with. However, a drug lord like Reynolds has plenty of crooked cops in his pocket to do his dirty work in Potsy Ponciroli’s nearly wordless but far from quiet Motor City, which opens Friday in theaters.

Miller just finished his parole probationary period and planned on marrying his girlfriend, Sophia. She used to be Reynolds’ much abused trophy-possession, until Miller liberated her in the back alley behind a club. They had been together ever since, at least until the cops arrest him for the enormous stash of drugs conveniently planted in the trunk of his car. Of course, the grotesquely corrupt Lt. Savick leads the operation. It is all so transparently fixed, it makes an honest cop like Det. Kent sick to his stomach.

Soon, Reynolds swoops in to “rescue” the struggling Sophia. Meanwhile, the bent screws in prison constantly harass Miller at Reynolds’ behest. However, he is a tough nut to crack. He also has two highly-trained comrades on the outside, Youngblood and Singh, who presumably have the wherewithal to break him out, judging from the utter chaos of the in media res prologue.

Basically, Motor City follows in the footsteps of John Woo’s similarly taciturn Silent Night, but it is no match for the master’s spectacular action set pieces. Instead, most of the film plays like several early-season Reacher episodes, which maybe tracks, since it stars Alan Ritchson as Miller. Instead, he devotes more time to selecting vintage songs (appropriate to the film’s 1977 setting, give or take three or four years, in either direction).

Frankly, Ponciroli’s strict adherence to the music over dialogue concept shortchanges the dramatic potential of some scenes, particularly Det. Kent’s confrontation with Sophie. In such cases, most viewers will be frustrated not knowing exactly what was said.

Still, there is no denying Ritchson has presence as Miller. Ben Foster also needs no words to radiate sleaze as Reynolds. Lional Boyce (recently of Project Hail Mary) and Amar Chadha-Patel also project serious business as Youngblood and Singh. However, the silent treatment maybe disadvantages Shailene Woodley, because Sophia comes across as rather passive without the words to express her inner turmoil and insecurities.

Regardless, Ponciroli’s design team brilliantly recreates the grittiness and funkiness of late 1970s Detroit. It looks like a wild and unruly place, but it would only get more lawless over the years. Ponciroli almost inspires nostalgia for a Deroit that still had a blue color sensibility. Indeed, the soundtrack and the old school payback-movie aesthetic will generate a look of happy vibes for certain fans, as well. Recommended for the throwback atmosphere and the action (which is solid, but not as spectacular as Silent Night), Motor City opens in theaters this Friday (7/24), including the AMC Empire in New York.