Rating: 
Summary: All revved up with no place to go
Review: Days of Thunder is an entertaining film boasting a great performance by Robert Duvall and a few exciting, albeit semi-ludicrous, racing scenes. As a whole, though, this film chugs along near empty, lacking any real oomph. Tom Cruise plays reckless upstart Cole Trickle, a race car driver who has decided to make the jump from Outlaw and open wheel racing to stock car racing. Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) is the former car builder and crew chief that used car salesman and new car owner Tim Daland (Randy Quaid) wants to bring on board to work with Trickle. Trickle is as wild on the track as he is off, and all of the talent he definitely has seems wasted as he and Harry are almost completely incapable of communicating with one another. Eventually, there's a breakthrough, and Cole wins a few races. At the Firecracker 400 in Daytona, though, Cole is involved in a major wreck along with his nemesis Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker). It is here that Nicole Kidman enters the picture as Cole's doctor Claire Lewicki. Cole's recovery from the crash involves more than just physical healing, and there's a new, thoroughly sleazy upstart in the circuit whom Cole must now contend with. There's an interesting yet unfulfilled subplot about Rowdy's injury and his way of dealing with it as well as a romantic theme that basically goes nowhere; clearly, the action on the track is what the filmmakers were banking on in terms of the movie's success.NASCAR wasn't as big back in 1990 as it is now, but even then you didn't have to grow up in NASCAR country like I did to see how ridiculous most of the racing action in this film was. Anyone with no knowledge whatsoever of stock car racing would get the impression from Days of Thunder that the whole point of driving is to wreck all the other cars. These cars spend an inordinate amount of time crashing and banging each other as well as the wall, yet amazingly enough battered old wrecks easily catapult themselves back into the top five. The damage these cars sustain would wreck the aerodynamics to such a degree that they couldn't keep up with the pace car in real life. Even still, the scenes can prove a little exciting, especially the big finish back at the Daytona 500. As a loyal fan of the late Dale Earnhart, this movie makes me feel a little weird because part of the storyline involves a driver being killed at the Daytona 500 the previous year. It's also a little strange to watch Nicole Kidman, as she really didn't seem to offer very much on screen this early in her career. Her Australian accent is more pronounced than it is today, and her hair was still all frizzy in the way that made me question why Tom Cruise was so attracted to her in the first place. I think Tom and Nicole may have originally met on the set of this film (but I could be wrong about this), and oddly enough their onscreen relationship seems to have no spark of life whatsoever. Days of Thunder isn't a bad movie at all, but it's nothing to scream about either. I would offer a word of advice to future viewers of the film; you would do well not to watch the film alongside a NASCAR fan because he/she will likely get on your nerves explaining over and over again how unrealistic the racing scenes really are.
Rating:
Summary: nice effects on the track...as I left the home theater
Review: Oh please...this story and the performances are truly so distracting from the speed scenes as to make one feel flattened by one of the cars. It is so macho/cheesy as to make one suffocate from the fumes. I suppose if taking place in the late night adolescent dreams of a kid in Green Bay, this is the equivalent of ecstasy...but in the future give us something more than the carefully bottled and packaged machismo-competition-sexy thing and I'll thrill to the races without wanting to race away from the screen. Did I mention how cool some of the car races are...
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT
Review: THIS MOVIE IS AMAZING
IVE BEEN WATCHING IT SINCE I WAS 5 YEARS OLD AND I STILL LOVE IT. NOW THE RACING IS NOT EXACTLY HOW IT IS IN WINSTON CUP RACES,BUT I DONT BLAME THEM. TOM CRUISE PLAYS A GREAT COLE TRICKLE, AND THE SOUND IS AMAZING. THIS MOVIE HAS IT ALL GO WATCH IT.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the editorial review
Review: This is a great movie for any Nascar fan. Make sure you totally disregard the "editorial review" "With Days of Thunder, director Tony Scott tried to do for the Indy 500 what he did for the U.S. Air Force with Top Gun." Days of Thunder tried to do for the DAYTONA 500, what he did for the US NAVY in Top Gun, Anyone who can't get that right, should not be reviewing movies..
Rating:
Summary: EXCITING NASCAR RACING ACTION!
Review: WOW! This film absolutely ROCKS! It takes you into the middle of a Nascar Winston Cup race! The film's semi-weak story is held brilliantly together by the film's racing sequences! Great for racing fans! Grade: A+
Rating:
Summary: A film about Nascar
Review: Although this film failed to meet its projected take, it is one of the best films of Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman gives great support here as Cruise's lover & doctor. The film begins with Cruise as a rookie driver who's desire to win the Winston Cup gives him a dangerous edge, Robert Duvall gives a great performance as Cruise's mentor, as well as Michael Rooker as his adversary, & Randy Quaid as the financer, the aspects of Nascar are explored here in a neat fashion, everyone is cast perfectly, the perils of winning & losing are realistic in a sense that you can identify with the situation, that fear of failure as well as the fear of popularity, Cruise is perfect here as is everyone else, there are parellels in this film that relate to past events in Nascar, it is accurate accounts with drama mixed in, a very good film for anyone who loves racing, & the spectacle of it
Rating: 
Summary: DAYS OF BOREDOM....
Review: THis is a typical Cruise vehicle: the "charismatic" character beating the "bad" guys in almost non-existant screenplay. How Duvall is in it, I don't know...
Rating:
Summary: A Great Movie About Racing!
Review: Days of Thunder is Awesome, a lot of technical research had to have gone into it because it's almost like watching NASCAR on Sunday but with Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and Robert Duvall. I like the fact that Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman act in this movie together, it gives them a very natural dynamic. Robert Duvall is a great Redneck and really acts like a "Good 'ol Boy". But more than that, I love the fact that this movie is about the Winston Cup circut and gives a good look at the intensity and drama of the sport. I also think it's cool how they always smear soot on Tom Cruise's face after he's been racing, I think it's supposed to mean that he drives so fast that that stuff catches on fire around him and, of course, he has to drive through it to be victorious!
Rating:
Summary: GOOD ACTION MOVIE BUT......
Review: Don't get me wrong- Days of Thunder is a good action movie for people who like speed. Decent acting by Tom Cruise and a good story overall. I've been following NASCAR for the past 20 years. People like me who are NASCAR die-hards would probably find most of this movie laughable. Too many inconsistencies compared to real life NASCAR racing.
Rating: 
Summary: SOUND, SOUND, SOUND, SOUND!!!!!!!!!
Review: First of all... The movie is quite good, with great performances from Robert Duval, Tom Cruise, and Nicole Kidman. The film has great racing footage (with a few inconsistencies) and is all in all, a good movie... Now let's talk about the DVD... This is one of the best sounding DVD's that I've ever put in to my home theater! The sound in the 5.1 surround sound will absolutely have you looking around for the race car!!!!! As "Cole Trickle" first gets in the car at the vacant raceway, test driving "Rowdy Burns'" car, you will absolutely be beside yourself!! The sound is unreal! You will love this DVD just for the fact of showing off your home theater to friends! The picture has a few flaws, but nothing too noticable! (mainly aspect ratio) That's what gave it the 4 stars instead of 5. Buy this DVD for your theater... You won't be disappointed!!!
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