''Vehicle 19'' is a 2013 American

action thriller film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...

written and directed by Mukunda Michael Dewil. The film stars

Paul Walker Paul William Walker IV (September 12, 1973 – November 30, 2013) was an American actor. He was known for his role as Brian O'Conner in the ''Fast & Furious'' franchise. Walker began his career as a child actor in the 1980s, gaining recogniti ...

as a parole breaker who finds himself hunted by the police in Johannesburg after he picks up a rental car containing a phone, a gun and a kidnapped prosecutor. He races against time to dodge the police, expose their corruption and eventually reunite with his estranged wife. ''Vehicle 19'' was released on February 7, 2013, in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

and on June 14, 2013, in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Plot

Michael Woods is an American parolee who arrives in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Dem ...

, after being released from prison, to meet up his wife Angie who works in the U.S. embassy. Michael orders a rental car at the airport but is lost while on his way to the embassy. During his trip, Michael comes across a cellphone and a suppressed pistol inside. Afterwards, a police detective calls Michael who advises him to hand in the vehicle in exchange for a replacement. Michael agrees to deliver the car only to find a gagged woman inside. Both Michael and the woman are soon attacked upon reaching the rendezvous point, causing Michael to drive away from the firefight. After several escape attempts, the woman reveals herself to be Rachel Shabangu, a prosecutor who gathered evidence against a criminal named Rhodes, due to which the latter kidnapped her. Furthermore, the police, including the detective, are on Rhodes' payroll. Michael and Rachel try to get help from her friends to no avail. Helpless, Michael decides to drive to the courthouse with Rachel before realizing Angie might become involved. He succeeds in making sure Angie stays inside the embassy but Rachel is shot in the process. Before dying, she records her testimony using Michael's phone and entrusts him to expose Rhodes and the corrupt police department. Saddened by Rachel's death, Michael leaves her body behind and is contacted by the detective who reveals he has framed Michael for Rachel's murder. Michael successfully dodges the police and gets his car sprayed to avoid being recognized. Following Rachel's earlier suggestion, he contacts a court judge who agrees to help Michael but also warns him to avoid going to the court as the police are already there and waiting. When the phone runs out of battery, Michael uses the car adapter to recharge it. Michael successfully makes it to the courthouse as more police arrive, resulting in a hostage situation as Michael holds a news reporter at gunpoint. However, the detective shows up and, trying to defuse the situation, shoots Michael at point blank. As the detective argues with his other police officers for injuring Michael, Rachel's testimony is seen playing over the reporter's microphone. With Rhodes' criminal activity exposed, he, the detective, and the rest of the corrupt officers are arrested. As the film ends, the titular vehicle is seen in the parking lot while news reports praise Michael for his heroism and bravery. It is implied that he had reunited with Angie while in critical care.

Cast

as Michael Woods * Naima McLean as Rachel Shabangu * Gys de Villiers as Det. Smith * Leyla Haidarian as Angelica Moore * Tshepo Maseko as Lieutenant * Andrian Mazive as Benji * Welile Nzuza as Mohawk * Mangaliso Ngema as James Muzuka * Ernest Kubayi as Mr. Crackhead * Elize Van Niekerk as Car Rental Receptionist

Distribution

Home media

In the United States, ''Vehicle 19'' was released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 23, 2013. The film's original theatrical aspect ratio was 2.40:1, but the DVD and Blu-ray have cropped transfers framed at 1.78:1. The making-of featurette on the Blu-ray includes film clips in the original 2.40.1 aspect ratio. U.K. Blu-ray is in the original aspect ratio.

Reception

Box office

''Vehicle 19'' has grossed for a worldwide total of $2,145,231.

Critical response

''Vehicle 19'' has a 23% approval rating on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, based on 26 reviews.

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Vehicle 19 2013 films 2013 thriller films American chase films American action thriller films Films about automobiles Films set in South Africa Films shot in South Africa 2010s English-language films 2010s American films