Fast & Furious 6

Bigger, faster, crazier — that's the motto of the "Fast & Furious" franchise six films in. If you thought the action, scale and stunts were off the charts in "Fast Five," prepare to have your mind blown by "Fast & Furious 6."

The previous films were an acceleration, and the series hit full throttle with "Fast Five." The road was open and endless for Universal, and returning writer Chris Morgan and director Justin Lin. What they opt to do in "F&F6" is bend the limits of reality to their will. From the initial London chase to a highway tank sequence to the grand finale, which involves a massive cargo plane, this is an action movie jacked up on steroids. In fact, there are a couple references to Marvel "Avengers" characters — a not-so-subliminal suggestion that Universal would like you to think of Dominic Toretto's crew/family as a team of superheroes.

The trouble is for every "wow!" moment there are twice the number of "what?" moments. The action is so ludicrous that you lose all sense of what's happening. They're like little blackout moments as you drink more and more of the movie's high-octane Kool-Aid.

Morgan pulls together a perfectly viable plot. Dom's (Vin Diesel) presumed deceased former lover, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) has been spotted in association with a criminal mastermind named Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) whose ex-military crew is essentially the shadow image of our heroes. Dobbs (Dwayne Johnson) presents this info to Dom in hopes that it'll persuade Dom into doing him favor in taking Shaw down. It naturally works, and the crew must put a hiatus on their quiet life spending all the cash they stole in the last film; when the patriarch of the family calls, you answer.

The movie doubles down on the notion of the crew as family. Shaw is supposed to be the antithesis. He doesn't care about allegiances but about precision and planning. He's cold and calculated, whereas the "family" is warm and spontaneous. It's cliché, but at least time is spent on the characters. There is only one newbie in former MMA fighter Gina Carano as Hobbs' new right hand, meaning the character time is invested in the existing characters, which is good, though the script doesn't pierce beyond the surface traits we're already familiar with.

It also bears mentioning that at one point the script reveals a twist that's solely for the purpose of a twist. This "surprise" makes no sense and has no actual bearing on what happens in the film. Morgan wanted a surprise moment to keep things interesting and it's a nice moment — but then you realize it's actually meaningless and changes nothing. Another example of how flash without substance is the M.O. of this series. You have to like flash for the sake of flash to be a big fan.

Of course any scene in which an engine of any kind is not running only matters so much in these films, but "Fast & Furious 6" will start to really separate out the pure action junkies who've been hooked on this series from those who prefer some plausibility and gravity —literally and figuratively — in their blockbusters. Lin's sensibilities would probably be of more use in a sci-fi or fantasy movie where he could break all laws of common sense and completely get away with it. In this movie, depending on your taste, it will either get you stoked or spoil the moment.

One could argue that this franchise has found a niche in larger-than-life action movies — that there's a viable space for films that maintain the trappings of the real world but play by the rules of a superhero movie. That's fair, but in many ways by blowing the ceiling off what's possible, they've created another ceiling. If anything is possible, at some point we will no longer be surprised by the impossible. The films would be better served by maintaining some thread of connection to the laws of physics, then when they broke them a little, it would have a bigger impact. "Fast Five" did this well and it's a shame this movie takes such a tremendous leap in believability.

Nevertheless, there's an undeniable adrenaline rush that comes with Lin's style of direction and the size and stature of the stunts and action sequences. It's three-fold true in this entry. That's the kind of thrill that maintains a sufficient baseline for enjoying these moves.

~Steven C

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The previous installments of this franchise (specifically 1,2, Tokyo Drift and 4) was all about racing, sure there's a plot but it wasn't really shown well, then part 5 happened and the franchise took a different turn, it now became a heist film instead of the usual racing. I hated and I loved this turn of the franchise, I hated it because in part 5, the racing competition aspect of the film is gone, it became chases but I also loved this turn because it made the franchise take a different approach. My question is, will this formula still work with part 6? Find out below.

Story: The story in this movie picks up after the previous one where it was known that 'Letty' (Michelle Rodriguez) was still alive and I admit that they handled her "resurrection" quite well but that is only the sub-plot of this movie. The main plot is Hobbs (The Rock) is chasing after Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). He then gets the help of Toretto and Brian's crew by using Letty as bait (or that's how I see it). The story is pretty simple and they told it without adding anymore sub plot but some of the sub plots that were made felt very crowded to the story even though it was solved. It just felt a little heavy and a bit too much for the movie.

Acting: If you saw the previous installments from this franchise well then you ain't missing anything from their performance, it's pretty much the same but I have to say this though, Vin Diesel and The Rock displays pure bad-assery in this movie. That being said, I will give my two cents on the two characters from this movie which are Gina Carano who played Riley and Luke Evans who is Owen Shaw. Carano was able to hold her own despite having little dialogue and what makes her character seems badass is because of her action scene, this is actually one of the things I'm looking forward to upon seeing this movie because I loved her in 'Haywire' (awesome film, check it out) and I;m confident to say that I am not disappointed with her on this one. Next is Luke Evans, he IMO is one the versatile actors in the industry today, you can cast him in almost any role and he displays a good performance. In here is the main villain although he gave a good performance in this role I find it hard to find him as an effective villain, there is something missing with his performance here I'm just not sure what it is.

Action: The Fast franchise is definitely known for having one of the best car chases ever and this one doesn't disappoint and it does not only have car chases but also fist fights, head bangin' and other sh*t. Even though some of the action scene were very over the top it was still entertaining and was handled pretty well. The action was not violent or brutal as it showed little to no blood and being a fan of R-13 I can say that this rating does not fit well to the style of FF and I'm happy and contented with it's PG-13 rating. IMO this is the most action-packed FF film so far.

Cinematography: The cinematographer did a wonderful job here, the shots were just amazing and adds depth to the mood that is set within each scene. The shots were able to show scenery that really captures the beauty of the set and like I said the mood of the scene.

Direction: I wasn't much of a fan of Lin's direction here, it was pretty slow which made the film a little boring for me despite having heavy action. Even though the movie is a little slow paced, Lin was able to tell the story with it's whole heart. I liked how he did the pacing in FF 5 though.

Overall: 'Fast and Furious 6' was high-octane action movie injected with some humor. Using the same formula as the previous one made this film good and also bringing back the racing aspect of the original FF films. While I consider the FF 5 is still the best one in the franchise, I can still say that this is one solid addition to it. I give this movie a 3.5/5

P.S. Watch the post-credit scene, it made me get hyped for Fast and Furious 7.

The sixth instalment in The Fast and the Furious franchise, Fast & Furious 6 follows into the footsteps of its predecessor and continues the series' new-found mantra of departing from its original street racing theme to move further into the heist thriller sub-genre. And even if it's not as refreshing & impressive as Fast Five, it nonetheless succeeds as another thrilling, ridiculously entertaining & undeniably fun extravaganza.

The story of Fast & Furious 6 concerns Dominic Toretto & his crew, all of whom have retired to a comfortable life following the heist they pulled off in the previous chapter yet they still remain wanted fugitives in their homeland. But when Hobbs asks for their services to take down a skilled mercenary organisation in exchange for clearing their criminal records, Dom accepts the deal and reassembles his team to finish one last job.

Directed by Justin Lin, Fast & Furious 6 is his final stint with this franchise and he decides to go out on a high note by delivering a picture that's far too enjoyable to worry about the laws of physics being bent here on few occasions. The screenplay packs in an interesting plot filled with excellent use of humour but it isn't as tightly gripped as the last instalment and is a slight step down in comparison. But a few elements do get an upgrade.

The technical aspects follow the same formula that was applied in Fast Five and there isn't much to complain here for the set pieces look spectacularly detailed, the action sequences benefit a lot from its energetic camera-work, brilliant editing & more use of practical effects just like the last chapter although at times the action goes way too over-the-top yet not so exaggerated for most viewers to suspend disbelief. And the background score is fitting for the most part.

Coming to the performances, the entire main cast that was present in the last one reprises its role, Michelle Rodrigues also returns to join the gang and Luke Evans is the new addition who plays this chapter's antagonist. Vin Diesel & Paul Walker do their usual best as Toretto & O'Conner, Dwayne Johnson continues to impress as Hobbs, However, Evans doesn't get enough screen time to show his mettle and his characters turns out to be a generic villain. The rest of the cast chips in with fine contributions.

On an overall scale, Fast & Furious 6 builds upon the very ingredients that worked in favour of Fast Five and, barring a couple of issues, manages to stay on the track for the most part. Although not as amazing as the previous entry, this is nevertheless an immensely enjoyable blockbuster material that promises a lot of fun & thrills, and effectively delivers it. Definitely more style than substance although the margin isn't as vast as it had been in the first four chapters of this franchise, Fast & Furious 6 comes delightfully recommended.

While most franchises lose their steam with each succeeding sequel, the Fast and the Furious franchise is that rare exception where its later films breathe in new life into the series. Once a franchise about car racing, "Fast Five" took an unexpected turn as a bank heist thriller in the vein of Steven Soderbergh's "Ocean's 11," a welcomed change as seen by its huge box office earnings and critical success. Now, "Furious 6" is neither about car racing nor bank heists, but rather a terrorist threat with obvious inspirations from "The Dark Knight." Like "Fast Five," the results are immensely satisfying and undeniably entertaining.

The key to the franchise's upward turn in quality is due to director Justin Lin. He is a skilled action director, and many filmmakers can learn a few things or two from him: The action sequences are impressive, engaging, comprehensible, and well-shot, with practical effects to boot. There is a sense of danger, verve, and life in these scenes rarely found in other films, despite how over-the-top and ridiculous they may be; and yes, they often drift into gratify-defying territory. While I usually don't react out loudly when watching a film, this film had me gasping, jaw dropping, laughing, and applauding, sometimes all at once!

Another ingredient to the film's success is the chemistry between the cast members. We have grown to love these characters over the course of the series that one cannot help but cheer on for them. In particular, Tyrese Gibson and Ludicrous have such a terrific rapport with each other that they provide some of the film's biggest laughs and memorable one-liners. Additionally, Luke Evans is definitely a step up above the previous film's antagonist, and Gina Carano provides some great ass-kicking moments, although not much performance-wise. On another note, I want to mention how refreshing it is to see minority actors fill these roles. Certainly, the film's use of a diverse ensemble cast should be commended. As for the story, it's nothing special, but I dare you not to act surprised when several plot twists are revealed; I did so more than I would like to admit.

If there's one thing to learn about this franchise, it's that some change can be a good thing. While the later sequels do focus away from the car racing, they still featured cars, which helped retain old fans while bringing in new ones. "Furious 6" is terrific entertainment, and judging by yet another dazzling cliffhanger and the audience's reaction, "Fast & Furious 7" will be an amazing finale for the series. Unfortunately, Justin Lin won't be back around for the last installment, but someone please get this man to direct every and all upcoming action flicks.

Well, this was unexpected! Going into this film I found myself with no hype at all. I expected a good, fun and cheesy movie time and I came out of the theater happy and surprised. While this isn't a masterpiece of filmmaking it does achieve what it sets out to do. To entertain you. And it does this quite good and sometimes it goes further than this by showing us some amazing set pieces and action sequences. For example one car, tank chase sequence! This is achieved by the gigantic production value of the film. You can literally smell the money that comes out of these guys. The whole movie you have this sense of scale, and I mean BIG scale! The amazing sound mixing and design including the music pumps you up and puts you in the mood! While the acting isn't Oscar worthy it is very fluid and it doesn't always feel forced. The chemistry between the cast is very solid and credible. Diesel and "The Rock" where pretty solid along with the secondary characters, and the villain was surprisingly tolerable. Another thing that solidifies the movie are the effects. These are outstanding along with the camera-work! The things that brought the movie down for me a little bit where some of the stunts, and weirdly some of these I found pretty amazing but although I understand this movie isn't supposed to be taken seriously there were some stunts that were just plain unbelievable, specially in the third act of the movie. And finally, the plot. While not groundbreaking it did have its interesting points but it doesn't drift away from the cheese factors. Overall I was quite surprised by what this movie did and how the director and producers exploited and used their huge production value. This is an example of a good quality action flick.