Love the Beast

Eric Bana has had a 1974 Ford Falcon XB Coupe (the car in the original ‘Mad Max’) since he was too young to drive it. He’s rebuilt it several times with his mates from his schooldays. He wants you to know how much he loves his car, which he’s rejigged to drive in a five-day endurance race across Tasmania. He wants this so much he’s made a movie about it, and as vanity productions go, it has a certain amount to commend it. The combination of home movies, expertly shot rally footage and celeb interviews (Jay Leno, Dr Phil, Clarkson) is slickly packaged, illustrating the notions that men need hobbies and cars have human personalities. Bana exudes downhome blokeyness throughout, but an hour of this will be enough for most, after which egomania fatigue sets in. Add another star if you’re a petrolhead, two if you really like Eric Bana and cars, three if you’re his mum.