The “Taken” franchise has nothing on the cinematic thrill ride that is “Whiplash”.

Feature-length directorial debut of Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash” stands out as one of the most intense films of 2014.

The film follows one Andrew Neimann (Miles Teller), a promising young drummer whose greatest ambition in life is to be the next Charlie Parker. Enrolled in one of the most competitive music schools in the country, Neimann runs into the jazz band conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), a man hell-bent on cultivating greatness wherever he can find it.

Throughout the film, the dynamic between Teller and Simmons is palpable. Each force locks horns in an incredible battle of will and passion, with Teller’s character reaching for glory and leaping over the edge into obsession, pushed along by Simmons, whose character’s silver tongue is rivaled only by the drill sergeants in “Full Metal Jacket”.

The roughly 100 minute outpouring of verbal abuse, physical exhaustion, and emotional turmoil created by Chazelle flows so well together that it’s hard to sit still. Culminating in one of the most intense cinematic climaxes of 2014, “Whiplash” is a can’t-miss shot of adrenaline from start to finish.