For although the F&F films are well known for their dubious (albeit spectacularly exciting) car play, the opening scene in this episode stretches implausibility to a level which is hard to swallow even for these movies. It pays to only follow this film in the broadest of strokes as the details rarely add up.

The tagline from the previous film – ‘new model, original parts’ – is even truer this time around as Fast Five nicely consolidates all the entries to date by drawing together key figures from the previous four movies for ‘one last job’. Of course, by the time the movie draws to its conclusion it will be revealed that the films producers have at least one more ‘one last job’ up their sleeves.

But while the attempts to tie all the films together into an arc plot are admirable, the subsequent increase in reliance of character is problematic; partly because this cast isn’t the greatest bunch of actors in the world but mostly because it gets in the way of the cars which are the real stars of the franchise. We don’t want to hear these guys talk, we want to see them race!

It’s this scantness of street racing that represents the movies weakness. The car races are the battles of these films; it’s what makes them different and more exciting than other action flicks. Sections of this movie look more like Black Hawk Down than F&F and its uniqueness is diminished as a result. Dom Torretto (Vin Deisel) has transformed from tough ace driver to xXx who occasionally gets in a car and the film is lesser for it.

The dynamic between Paul Walker and Vin Deisel is diminished in this film also; theirs is much better when their rivalry is serious. Here, they’re just racing each other for fun; there’s no stakes involved and therefore little tension.

Could this be the beginning of the end for F&F? It’s too early to say. After all, the franchise looked cut and dried after Tokyo Drift only to be revived by the fourth installment. It does cement the theory, however, that the Diesel entries are the worthy ones as even this movie is superior to 2 Fast 2 Furious and Tokyo Drift.

There’s probably life left in the old girl yet but it needs a polish and an injection of nitrous oxide to get it back on track and up to speed.
Stuart Jamieson

The Fast and the Furious (2001) was practically a carbon copy of Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break and Fast & Furious (2009) had elements very reminiscent of Bill Duke’s Deep Cover. Finally Furious 6 presents an original script that doesn’t completely suck like its predecessors: 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Fast Five.

The film begins with a nice round up of all the films so far over its opening credits, foregoing the big opening action sequence of its predecessors. This is probably a good thing given the outrageously impossible opener for Fast Five.

In movieland there is a fine line between the very, very unfeasible and the downright impossible, but the difference is critical for wowing audiences whilst simultaneously allowing them to suspend their disbelief and thus preserve the fantasy of the story. Admittedly, ignorance is bliss too. Fast and Furious got it right; Fast Five got it horribly wrong (thanks mainly to its opening sequence). Thankfully, Furious 6 once more moves to the positive side of the equation (if only just).

From this cast, which mostly reprises that of the previous film, we get what we expect in solid terms. All the girls are pretty. The diverse array of cars are mean and fast (though there’s still no Monaro or GTHO!) Diesel is Diesel and we love him for it. Same for The Rock. Thankfully Dwayne Johnson is less lubed up in this one. Indeed there’s even a playful joke or two referencing his excessive moistness in Fast Five. And with the films obligatory sequel-suggesting epilogue, this franchise is starting to look as good as The Expendables cast-wise!

The result is a film that is as fun as it is outrageous. Given that half the movies in this franchise are now good ones, let’s hope that the 7th instalment of Fast and Furious makes it a majority.
Stuart Jamieson