Mini Drivers

Action movies show SUVs tumbling all the time, so what's the difference? BMW is trying to sell cars. "This is not about film, it's not about art, it's about corporate commerce," says media critic and New York University professor Mark Crispin Miller. "It's an example of what we call image advertising."

BMW's McDowell calls it "selling a dream." Which isn't a new idea, but one that's becoming more difficult to pull off. "It's very hard to get people's attention now," says Seth Godin, author of Permission Marketing. The result is that advertisers are trying to mold their messages into movies and TV shows in ever more palatable ways--from the Doritos and Bud Lights that appeared in Survivor 2's challenges to the upcoming movie Food Fight, which takes place in a supermarket and stars Mr. Clean, Chef Boyardee, and other famed product mascots.

But will the Hire help BMW sell cars come July 19, when the last film is released? "I've worked on a thousand commercials," says Anonymous Content's Golin. "And I still don't really know if that sells product or not." Either way, BMW is getting plenty of mileage out of these films.

THE HIRE REVIEWS

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THE HIRE REVIEWS

AMBUSH Directed by John Frankenheimer--The smuggler in Ambush may be full of it--he claims to have swallowed $2 million in uncut diamonds--but the high-speed chase that ensues is entirely authentic. Frankenheimer, who perfected stunt driving in Ronin, fuel-injects the suspense with night driving that turns the lighting into a plot point. Too bad the rest of the story is just a one-liner. B-

CHOSEN Directed by Ang Lee--More an auto ballet than a tire squealer, Chosen is about a young Buddhist (played by Lee's 10-year-old son, Mason) who must be safely delivered to monks. The story unfolds through symbolism and glances more than dialogue, which creates a calm at the center of this genre-defying film. The punchline, both a plot zinger and a nod to his next project, The Hulk, poetically patches up the story. A

THE FOLLOW Directed by Wong Kar-wai--Finally, here is a film that emphasizes the cast instead of the cars. Forest Whitaker helps jealous husband Mickey Rourke lend a creepy realism to The Follow's gritty and saturated camera work. While action seekers will be disappointed by the melodrama, Wong's fans will find it as enjoyable as one of his feature films. B+

STAR Directed by Guy Ritchie--Star almost passes for a tricked-out music video, but an MTV diva would never stand for being mocked the way Madonna is in this prankish short. The result is a stylized drive-by comedy with all the lock, stock, and rock & roll flourishes that make Ritchie a noteworthy director--and this time you'll even understand the dialogue. A-