Spoiler Free Plot Synopsis:
Fast Five drops viewers right into the action by continuing with the prison escape that closed out the the fourth installment, The Fast & Furious. Dom, Brian and Mia are now wanted fugitives and every major news organization is covering their ascension up the most wanted list. This opening sequence was definitely a great start, albeit as far fetched as you would expect. We fast forward a bit to Mia and Brian making their way to Brazil and shacking up with Vince, who you may remember from the first flick. (You know, the Buster got his beer.)
In a fitting use of continuity, I must applaud the director in making sure that Vince maintained the scarring he sustained in the climax of the first flick. As expected, Vince and Brian continue to have a strained relationship. It is at this point that one of the first plot twists present itself [ Highlight for spoiler: Mia being pregnant]. After a “routine” job goes terribly wrong, our band of misfits find themselves in a jam. It is at this point that the new plot starts moving with past cast members coming together for one final job so they can get out the “life”. I am sure you are wondering how The Rock fits into this whole thing, right? Well, The Rock plays Hobbs who is the no nonsense, hard-as-nails DSS Taskforce leader assigned to bring in our “heroes” by an means necessary.
Kick Ass Moment:
My Take:Fast Five strives to take all the great elements from previous entries and out-do each and every one of them. The cars are cool, but not too distracting from the overall plot. Justin Lin did a fantastic job in not only maintaining continuity, but giving each of the cast members ample moments to shine. As expected the showdown between The Rock and Vin Diesel was teased well and the payoff was violent and vicious. The choreography for their fight was top notch and didn’t go for any over the top shit. It was a nicely dragged out brawl that helped move the plot along and added another layer to the rivalry between Toretto and Hobbs. The climatic chase was fantastic, and while totally unbelievable, was most certainly enjoyable. If you go in expecting Oscar-worthy film making, do yourself a favor and click the “X” in the corner since you are not getting that here. What you do get is a kick-ass popcorn flick that is entertaining and chock-full of cool action sequences. Recommendation:A must-see for fans of the series and fans of mindless action flicks. Stay in your seat until the end of the credits for a nice WTF moment. |
