Review of Fast & Furious 6 (2013) by Joanna B — 24 Oct 2016

From its 2001 original undercover cop point-break style offering, the hot and heavy Fast & Furious franchise is one of those rare beasts that seems to get better each time around - if you excuse the explosion of disaster that was subpar sequels 2 & 3.

Holding onto the idea that even an action movie needs heart, with director Justin Lin at the wheel of the last two instalments, F&F has come into its own. Respecting the need for character-building, the actors Ocean's 11 style camaraderie jumps as far out of the screen as the cars do across.

Scattered around the globe and living the high life off the spoils of their ill-gotten gains accrued during Fast & Furious 5's Rio heist, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew of exiled criminals (Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot and Chris "Ludacris" Bridges) have but one regret, that they can't return home to the US.

Meanwhile, Diplomatic Security Service Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) tracks - across 12 countries - the latest throne in his overtly muscled side. An organization of lethally skilled mercenary drivers are mounting an arsenal of weapons to commit various nefarious acts, mastermind by ex-Special Forces soldier turned military hardware hijacker, Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) and aided by a ruthless but somewhat unaware Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) - Dom's presumed-dead true love.

The only way to stop the criminal outfit is to outmatch them at street level, so operating under the theory 'to catch wolves, you need wolves' Hobbs and his new partner Agent Riley (Gina Carano) ask Dom to assemble his elite team in London to present the assignment and incentive of full pardons all around, if they can get to Shaw.

Craving that 'ride or die' feeling of adrenaline that only speed and risk can induce, the team go to work, but will their skills and belief in family actually hinder their success?

The well-warn-in characters have become but a second skin to the actors, Johnson flexes his muscle, Walker exploits his boyish charms and Kang sly smiles his way through every situation. Diesel's voice carries weight as it reaches the epitome of sultry Rodriguez, who may have lost her memory, but knows her mind. The major pull for this instalment watching these two 'reunite', a couple made in Furious Heaven their on-screen chemistry makes you glad to go along for the often overdone ride.

As always the stunts are bigger and brasher and all choreographed for maximum testosterone output - carparks explode, bridges crumble, buildings shatter, cars flip like playing cards and a tank roams the streets and it all business as usual.

The verdict: F&F has its priorities right, making this video game speed escapist entertainment at its best. No doubt 2014's F&F7 with its sneaky new addition (teaser at end of credits) will be even better.

Published: The Queanbeyan Age.

Date of Publication: 07/06/2013.