With a full tank and a killer playlist, Edgar Wright is back in the big time.

There are few bigger enigmas in today’s film industry than Edgar Wright. In possession of frankly unfair levels of talent, Wright clearly has the ability, vision, and drive to reach the big time but, for one reason or another, it just hasn’t happened…yet.

Since making the leap from the Simon Pegg-starring cult sitcom Spaced to the Simon Pegg-starring cult rom-zom-com Shaun of the Dead, the director’s brand of eccentric, acutely British sense of humour, paired with a dizzyingly kinetic style, and a penchant for pop culture references; have brought him the holy grail combo of critical success and a dedicated fanbase that few other currently operating directors can boast. That, however, is only half the story. Despite the director’s numerous attempts to branch out beyond the cultish niche he’s found himself in, Wright has so far failed to translate his particular style of idiosyncratic cinema into mainstream success.

Despite the respectable box office returns Shaun of the Dead and it’s follow up Hot Fuzz, it was Edgar Wright’s first foray into Hollywood Scott Pilgrim vs the World where the wheels began to wobble. Widely considered a financial flop, Scott Pilgrim vs the World left huge question marks hanging over the director’s head regarding his ability to handle larger budgets and the need for mass appeal.

With this rocky patch culminating in his well-publicised parting with Ant-Man over ‘creative differences’, it was becoming increasingly apparent that Edgar Wright’s time in Hollywood was ticking. After a brief sojourn back to his comfort zone (aka Simon Pegg), to complete his ‘Cornetto Trilogy’, the director clearly wasn’t looking to give up on the big time that easily. With a big name cast and the kind of dynamic action most blockbusters would kill for, Baby Driver is the kind of loud and proud calling card that makes Hollywood take notice.

Fuelled by the beat of his personal soundtrack; young and talented getaway driver Baby (Ansel Elgort) relies on the rhythm of his extensive record collection to not only drown out his tinnitus, but heighten his focus and reflexes to superhuman levels. Seemingly resigned to a life of crime, Baby’s entire world is turned upside down when he crosses paths with waitress Deborah (Lily James), who gives him the perfect opportunity for a clean getaway. Coerced into working for smooth-talking crime boss Doc (Kevin Spacey), ditching his underworld life is far easier said than done however and, as a doomed heist threatens everything Baby holds dear, he has no option but to face the music.

Impressive, not only in the scale of its action, but the quality of its cast, Baby Driver is a film that certainly won’t have come cheap, standing as the grandest and most mainstream film of Edgar Wright’s career to date. Although you’d be hard-pressed to consider Baby Driver a blockbuster, its scale is far removed from anything else in Wright’s filmography and, as with any escalation in scope or budget, there’s always a distinct risk that the director’s very particular, independent vision could get lost in the mix. While there’s no escaping the overwhelming Hollywood feel to the film, it’s a huge relief that Wright’s trademarks and auteurist voice remain clear and present throughout.

With its wry observations and stylised dialogue, Edgar Wright’s idiosyncratic sense of humour seeps through Baby Driver’s every pore, quelling any fears regarding the director’s willingness to compromise. Wright has always displayed a fascination for the unabashed thrills of genre filmmaking but there’s a verve and sleekness to Baby Driver that goes beyond any of his previous films, yet remains true to everything

Despite Shaun of the Dead’s zombie love-in and Hot Fuzz’s quirky spin on the action genre, Wright’s films always been shot through with an idiosyncratic brand of British colloquialism that, while undeniably charming, often feels a little parochial to really hit the big time. Far from ironing out these quirks for mainstream success however, Wright appears more than happily utilise them to his advantage; folding them into the mix while widening his scope to blockbuster proportions.

It’ll come as a no surprise to anyone with even a passing knowledge of Edgar Wright’s filmography, that music is absolutely crucial to Baby Driver’s dynamic. Like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and Scot Pilgrim vs the World before it; Baby Driver is as much an audible experience as it is a visual one, as its soundtrack not only drives the action, but knocks you out before grabbing the wheel for a joyride. Every track is impeccably curated, weaving itself seamlessly into the film’s fabric to the point that, while Baby Driver is every bit a car chase/heist flick, it ultimately has as much in common with Singin’ in the Rain as it does with Reservoir Dogs or Bullitt.

It’s a skilfully played trick on the director’s part, as each track’s rhythm becomes an inseparable part of the film’s fabric, with every break pump and every bullet clink bleeding out from the film’s action into its score in increasingly ingenious ways. It was a trick first played in the iconic pub battle scene in Shaun of the Dead, which creatively combined every whack of a pool cue to the foot-stomping beat of Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Know’, producing the kind of unique action dynamic that the director utilises to full effect here.

It’s a wonderfully effective trick, but not one that’s an instant hit. Adequate mental adjustments will need to be made from the off as Baby Driver’s audacious tone will be an acquired taste for some. Opening on a bold note, Baby theatrically lip-synchs and air drums his way through a bank robbery and getaway, all to the scuzzy beats of ‘Bellbottoms’ by The John Spencer Blues Explosion. It’s a ballsy tonal tactic that throws you a curveball from the word go and the off-kilter musical approach of makes it a somewhat jarring experience; at least until you become attuned to the film’s offbeat rhythm.

When it clicks, it clicks however and, by the time we catch up with Baby channelling his inner Fred Astaire down the streets of Atlanta to smooth R&B stylings of Harlem Shuffle, your ears and expectations will have hopefully adjusted themselves accordingly. From then on in, it’s hard not to just submit and let the Baby Driver’s rhythm take hold. Often feeling like we’ve taken a deep-dive into Edgar Wright’s personal Spotify playlist, the film’s audio bombardment is an overwhelming and all-encompassing experience that effectively delivers a visceral auditory kick that few action movies are prepared to deliver.

Building your entire film around a central premise that, on the face of it at least, feels rather convoluted, is always going to be a risky business. Though it never succumbs to it, Baby Driver constantly runs the risk of devolving into a rather annoying, smartarse mess, however, it’s largely thanks to Edgar Wright’s assured directorial hand and a single-minded determination to realise a vision that’d been bubbling away in the director’s brain since 1995, that the film is so successful in its execution.

Assisting Wright in bringing his concept to life and making it tick, Ansel Elgort is an inspired casting choice as the film’s lead. In an ensemble cast fit to burst with Hollywood heavyweights (and Flea), it’s quite a task to hold your own for an actor of any age, not least for one so young, but Elgort makes light work of it. His subtle, underplayed charm and calm-beyond-his-years demeanour makes him a natural protagonist and an effective counterbalance to the scenery chewing of the film’s bigger names. Baby is our eyes and (quite literally) ears in this hyper-stylised criminal underworld, and the character’s quiet stoicism creates a wonderfully effective dynamic opposite the excess and pantomime villainy of relative veterans Jamie Foxx and John Hamm.

Nestled amongst this testosterone-fuelled environment however, Lily James shines in what little screen time she is given. Though working within the confines as a rather clichéd love interest, James exudes a down to earth charm that works perfectly in grounding the film and her natural chemistry with Elgort injects some welcome warmth into a movie that often threatens to disappear completely into its too-cool-for-school demeanour.

Edgar Wright’s films have always felt like the geekiest of genre amalgamations and Baby Driver certainly continues this tradition; marrying musical, heist, and car chase movies with surprising ease. While the choice to inject a musical sensibility into such a bombastic action film feels like a typically leftfield Edgar Wright-ism, Baby Driver is constructed around a solid heist core, interspersed with some of the most intense and well-choreographed chase sequences this side of a Steve McQueen handbrake turn.

More than simply two cars going at it down some nondescript freeway, Baby Driver has its cars dance their way through scenes; pirouetting and gliding around the backstreets of Atlanta as if caught in the soundtrack’s infectious rhythm. While the chases are every bit as intense as The French Connection or Bullitt, there’s a balletic and rhythmic quality present that sets those in Baby Driver apart. The modern action blockbuster appears obsessed with going bigger, louder, and faster with every passing car chase, but rarely do they possess the visceral beauty served up by Edgar Wright. When in full swing, the action is unrelenting and genuinely heart-pounding; providing an adequate simulation of what it might be like if Drive went on a 24-hour coffee bender.

It may take time to tune yourself onto Baby Driver’s frequency but, once the film’s foot is down, there’s little stopping it. In his best effort since Shaun of the Dead, Edgar Wright has both hands firmly on the wheel and ready to take us on a relentless, ball-to-the-wall audio-visual ride. In a time where CGI is king, it’s just a thrill to witness a film having such fun with the pure physicality of the classic car chase. Fuelled by a wonderfully dynamic soundtrack, Baby Driver has enough rhythm in its tank to turn what could’ve been an irritating setup, into one of the most kinetic and enthralling films of the summer. Every inch an Edgar Wright film, Baby Driver feels like a pivotal moment for the director and, after a few engine stalls, is surely the moment he finally rolls up to the big time. All this and he did it without a Cornetto or a Simon Pegg in sight.