Fast Five

I think I'll have to start this review by stating that I have not seen any of the previous instalments of the "Fast and the Furious" franchise. The series has simply driven past me, never having revved up my interest enough for me to bother taking the franchise for a test drive. However, what with me now writing reviews for all the new cinematic releases, I've taken the fifth film for a little spin, and boy, what a ride it is.

"Fast Five" (also known as "Fast and Furious 5," with an optional addition of "Rio Heist" that can be slapped onto the end) was made with the audience's enjoyment level in mind. This is a film that knows its audience, knows what its audience likes, and knows what its audience needs; and it gets to delivering these specific requirements almost immediately.

As anyone who even slightly pays attention to the realms of filmdom should know, the "Fast and the Furious" franchise is all about cars, specifically fast cars that can go zoom and vroom. The films could very easily be called elaborate marketing schemes for the motoring companies of the world, the series doing very well to promote all the brand spanking new supercars that cost somewhere around a gazillion dollars.

Instalment number five is no exception, the vehicles all speeding down the streets at I don't know how many miles per hour, at times spinning through the air like they just don't care. The film opens with a pair of cars somehow managing to effortlessly overturn a bus transporting a load of prisoners, including one of the series' two leading men, muscle-bound slap-head Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel, "Babylon A.D."), nicknamed "Dom."

And the two people who intricately overturned the bus? Well, one of them is the other leading man, ex-cop Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker, "Takers"), and the other is Brian's sexy squeeze, Mia (Jordana Brewster, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning"), who is also Dom's sister. Having broken Dom out of his prison shackles, the trio decide to go on a mission together in smokin' hot Rio de Janeiro. The mission? Well, to steal cars, obviously.

When the assignment goes awry, Dom and Brian end up hanging from the ceiling by their wrists, facing Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida, "The Way"), a cruel Brazilian businessman who owned the cars that were stolen. The pair of course escape, and realise that there's only one of the cars that Reyes was interested in: a Ford GT40.

Upon further inspection of the vehicle, they discover a computer chip which holds information on Reyes' business activities, and catch sight of a hundred million dollar figure which the big guy is laundering. Assembling a team together, Dom, Brian and Mia begin to plan how they're gonna get their hands on the dosh, which proves quite a tricky task to handle for the group.

Anyone can tell that "Fast Five" is just an extended montage of car chases, fist fights, road rampages and more vehicular pursuits, occasionally interrupted by some gratuitous bikini shots and a plethora of throw-away one-liners. It's very easy to dismiss the entire movie by this logic alone, but I couldn't help but enjoy the ride that "Fast Five" presents.

It's quite admirable how adrenaline-fuelled the film manages to be; usually the term "action-packed" is deceiving, but here it is perfectly applicable. Cars smash and crash, characters leap from rooftop to rooftop, tyres screech and bodybuilders get rammed through brick walls. It's all marvellously shot by director Justin Lin, who's stuck with the franchise since its third chronicle, "Tokyo Drift" of 2006. Working with cinematographer Stephen F. Windon, he keeps the action exciting and physics-defying, the hand-to-hand combats gritty and realistic, and the car-based activities thrilling and as refreshing as an air freshener on a rear-view mirror. In a film that's all about its action, it's pretty darn stuffed with it.

It's almost as if Vin Diesel was made for this franchise; he has the right look, the right personality and the right surname. While he may have the appearance of a gigantic Mr. Potato Head, he is undoubtedly cool and, while his acting skills are a bit limited, he just leaks the right kind of charisma for this specific role. Also, is it just me, or was Christian Bale's Batman voice in "The Dark Knight" dubbed by this guy?

Though Reyes is technically the main villain (and Almeida does a fine job as "evil foreign man"), it's Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (action hero of "Tooth Fairy" and "The Game Plan") who really stands out as DSS federal agent Luke Hobbs, who's hunting down Dom and his team of thieves. Ridiculously butch, the ex-wrestler sports a hilarious goatee as this no-nonsense figure of physical authority. Johnson just owns the role, strutting about with his muscles on the verge of explosion, determined to sustain his reputation as a finder of people by catching up with Dom.

Though its script is a bit mediocre and the runtime of two hours is slightly overlong for the premise, "Fast Five" is pure and utter entertainment. It's dumb and clearly made to catch the eye of hormonal teenage boys, but it's far too enjoyable on a guilty level to be scalded too much for its cash-guzzling intentions. I'd say take it for a spin. Who knows? You might enjoy yourself.

7/10