Cursa Review (6.4/10): Bucharest Street Racing at Full Throttle

This Cursa review starts with a simple point: Romania does not make many big, loud street-racing movies, and this one is determined to change that. Directed by Anghel Damian and Millo Simulov, the 97-minute action film trades subtlety for engine noise and stunt work.

It will not reinvent the genre. But it has energy, and that counts for a lot.

Cursa Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Cursa plot is easy to follow. A talented mechanic wants to secure a better future for his younger brother, so he enters Europe's ultimate street race. That decision pulls him into a world of risky stunts and deadly rivalries.

The film is also known internationally as "The Race." Anghel Damian wrote the script and co-directed, so the story and the action share one vision. The setup is familiar to anyone who has seen a car-culture movie, and the film does not hide that.

What Works in Cursa

The cars are the stars. Local reviewers single out the stunts and the car work, and one says the film pushes car action forward on Bucharest streets. For a Romanian production, that ambition is clear on screen.

Sound and pacing

Audience reviews on CineMagia praise the pacing and the sound design. Engine revs build tension, and the music choices support the racing rather than drown it. In a film like this, sound is half the experience.

• Stunt-driven set pieces that put speed first

• Bucharest as a fresh backdrop for an action movie

• A tight 97-minute runtime that rarely drags

If you like action movie reviews that deliver momentum, this is the kind of film you can enjoy on a big sound system.

Cursa Cast and Performances

The Cursa cast is led by Cristina Ștefania Codreanu as Cleo and Codin Maticiuc as Mario. Denis Hanganu plays Andrei, Ștefan Iancu plays David, and Andi Vasluianu appears as Raul. Aris Negoita is also in the cast.

The film is built around cars more than character studies, so the performances serve the action. Vasluianu is a familiar name in Romanian film and adds some weight. Expect committed, genre-appropriate work rather than awards material.

Where Cursa Stumbles

The script is the weak spot. One Romanian critic warns not to expect a deep or memorable work. A Letterboxd reviewer calls the writing poor and says it lacks a clear narrative thread, while another is harsher still.

Those complaints are not surprising for a racing film with big ambitions and a modest budget feel. The brother-driven motivation is a well-worn device, and the rivalries can feel more like a checklist than real drama.

Audience scores reflect the split. CineMagia users give it 6.9, and IMDb-linked figures range from about 6.0 to 7.3. For comparison, our Hijacked review covers another regional action gamble with a similar mix of strengths and flaws.

Is Cursa Worth Watching?

Yes, if you want a fast, noisy racing movie and can forgive a thin script. Cursa is worth watching for the stunts, the engine sound and the novelty of seeing this genre done with a Romanian accent.

It is less rewarding if you expect strong storytelling. Critics who enjoyed it call it a fun, ambitious local production, and that is a fair summary. For more heist and chase options, see our Den of Thieves: Pantera review for another European-set ride, though it has a very different tone.

The film's own details are listed on TMDB. The Cursa release date was 24 October 2025.

Who Will Enjoy Cursa

• Racing and car-culture fans who want stunts and engine noise

• Viewers curious about Romanian genre cinema

• Anyone after a short, easy action night without heavy plotting