Review of Fast & Furious 6 (2013) by Hoops2448 — 03 Jun 2013

The cast of this movie bragged that everything in the 6th installment of the Fast and Furious saga was bigger than the last, something that made me hesitant because the 5th, a movie I loved was on the threshold of logic and reason.

Anything more would surely detract from the experience and to be honest when they do reach for the borders of sanity in this film it feels a little wrong. However surprisingly in many ways this is a much quieter film in comparison to Fast Five and it both detracts and helps the 6th film making for a thoroughly enjoyable new film but one not as entertaining or off the wall as its predecessor.

The film follows Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) and the gang as they hunt down Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) an ex SAS operative wreaking havoc all over Europe. Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) enlists the group to bring him down although the reappearance of Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Dom's supposedly dead ex girlfriend complicates everything leading to a tragic conclusion and the loss of key member of the team.

The film starts slowly and not really firing on all cylinders (I promise, the only pun) and doesn't really find its groove until the reappearance of Rodriguez who is still the same old detached yet lovable character, only this time she has a soul and isn't the same petulant child from the first dreadful installment of the series.

The film still has its over the top ending and this one is so over the top its unreal. It still has the predictable twist of the story but the stakes are higher in this entry and you expect tragedy to hit and ultimately it does.

I think the problem with this movie isn't that its all happened before, in fact they have managed to reinvigorate a series that was close to death following the 3rd installment, but that the film lacks enough signature moments and the same emotional hook as the last one.

Dom's team's involvement is understandable but forced, the moving scenes about family are almost there but feel more laid on meaning the film lacks the same kick. Then again the movie prides itself on its comedy and it is funny, the interplay between the characters of Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Ludacris) provides some much needed light in a film that is quite dark.

Comedy is even crammed into the action with a fight scene between a villain, Roman and Han (Sung Kang) providing some great physical comedy. The film does lacks deeper meaning but this is a Fast and Furious film not a Darren Aronofsky film so if you are watching this you were either paid or you seriously want to watch people race fast cars and blow stuff up and good god do they race fast cars and blow stuff up.

In fact its such well directed action that you want to see it again because so much has been crammed into the frame it feels like you might have missed some things the first go around. Director Justin Lin seems to build on his previous films with new and interesting set pieces and the introduction of new blood in the likes of Luke Evans and Gina Carano is much appreciated as he makes a good villain and Carano does what she does best, beats people to a pulp, something you'd enjoy if you watched Stephen Soderbergh's Haywire.

The film lacks the Fast Five punch but its not without merit and the thrills are so visceral it feels like the story and deep emotion doesn't matter all that much.