For any series to be this old (especially one that's not based on books)...makes some sort of history. Since usually the series:
- Dies, because we all know that the sequels are never as good as the originals OR
- The director decides to end it, on a high note, while you can still call the franchise a success, before it dies, see aforementioned reasoning.
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So I watched this movie on a whim. I honestly didn't know what it was about. I didn't put together the dots that this was ANOTHER one of those The Fast and the Furious movies. I didn't know that it was the highest grossing movie of the summer, so far, and certainly didn't know that this movie had a 78% (critics)/ 89% (audience) rating on Rotten Tomatoes. All I knew was that I was bored out of my mind and decided to take a little trip to the cinema.
And then it hit me...looking at the title at the marquee...and then on my ticket...this is really WAS another one of those The Fast and Furious racing movies!!! No!!! Why did I just pay $12 for this ticket!!!??? Is this a joke? Am I really going to put myself through ANOTHER one of these movies where the names just keep getting lamer and lamer?
Let me break down the film series for you:
- The first movie, The Fast and the Furious, was pretty amazing. Good storyline and it introduced to the audience a new type of niche: the underground car racing circuit.
- By the time the second one, 2 Fast 2 Furious, came out...it was already becoming..."the sequels are never as good as the originals" cliches.
- By the time the THIRD one, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, came out, everyone was already dropping dead. NOT ANOTHER ONE. But at least this one was set in a different country...right?
- Fourth one, Fast and Furious...Wow, they're too lazy to even think of a new title. They dropped the "the"s and expected us to be wowed?
- Fifth one, Fast Five. Are you serious right now? You have to be kidding...there's another one?
Needless to say I had low, let's even say underground, expectations.
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My reactions during the movie:
The beginning:
5 minutes into the movie and it already entertaining. I was just blown away by the first scene, I won't spoil it for you but let's just say that the whole time I was poking my friend saying "OMGOOMGOMGOGMOGMOG THAT IS SO COOL!"
The ending :
"OMGOMGOGMOGMGGMOGMG THAT IS SO COOL!" *Still poking my friend* Wow. I can't believe I enjoyed that movie and I feel stupid for saying this but I kind of want to watch it again...
General thoughts:
So what changed? Why is this one so different than the last one? Did they expect me to be amazed just because they changed countries AGAIN?
The film was filled with its usual cheese-tastic lines, the standard corny cliches, the underdog prevails sequences, and the high "action" antics that was featured in every other movie...but this one...while the story line was a little slow in the beginning, really began to speed up and get interesting. Fast. Furiously fast. (I can be cheesy too!).
It's almost an Ocean's Eleven meets The Fast and the Furious. You got: robbing money, assembling a kick ass team, and coming up with a BAD ASS mind effing plan. This is seriously what they should say on the summary. I actually don't even know what they say, I just think that this is a helluva lot more interesting and it makes so much sense!
There you have it, the movie in a nut shell, except the only difference is that you don't know who you're robbing, you don't know who's on that kick ass team, and you definitely CANNOT BELIEVE what their bad ass plan is.
******Wait, I just watched this movie again, and what didn't hit me among all the jokes and action until now is HOW SHITTY THE ACTING IS! Oh my goodness!!!! It's atrocious, I could be up there saying those lines and look more believable! WOW! How did I not notice this until now? I guess the movie is so mind-blowing that you don't look back on it!******
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The Fast and the Furious franchise never ceases to amaze me on what the hell cars can do. You don't normally see cars weaving under huge trucks. You don't normally see cars magically driving to Las Vegas from Los Angeles in 30 minutes (it takes real people 3+ hours). You don't normally see cars drift down 7 floors of a parking structure. You don't normally see scantily dressed girls dancing around pimped out rides (unless you're into that underground car scene). And this movie has even more surprises than all 4 of the last movies put together.
While I seem like a really like this movie, (I DO I DO!), I still have some qualms about this movie:
- Where did they get all the resources to fund their operations?
- Why the hell is the film called Fast Five? Besides being the 5th film it has nothing to do with the number 5. It would be cool if there was only 5 people on the team...I'm just sayin'...
- How come Paul Walker is STILL THAT HOT even though he's THIRTY SEVEN! He still looks like a 25 year old boy! *drool*
- ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? THAT PLAN WAS SO AMAZING! HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?? WAIT. IS THAT EVEN PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE?
- Damn it. Why did I not stay til the end of the credits???
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Grade: B
Compared to the past 4 films, this one definitely is the best one so it kind of automatically gets props for that. The story is fresh, original, interesting and the ending is still mind blowing me, not even close to Inception status but still super intriguing. Along with Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, they brought back old characters (Ludacris, Tyrese, Sung Kang, etc) and mixed in some new faces (The Rock, Elsa Pataky) to make a great, funny, and ethnically diverse cast (AKA Paul Walker is basically the only white guy in the whole movie).
Okay but seriously, this isn't an Oscar grade worthy film, we all already know that going in, but as an action flick, it's damn entertaining. So check it out. :)
***watched it for a second time and had to downgrade this movie from a "B+" to a "B" because of the horrible acting skills by the three main characters: Diesel, Walker, and Brewster. Otherwise love love love Ludacris.***
***watched it for a second time and had to downgrade this movie from a "B+" to a "B" because of the horrible acting skills by the three main characters: Diesel, Walker, and Brewster. Otherwise love love love Ludacris.***
Oh yes, there's a sixth one coming out! I have to admit that I'm going to have low expectations especially after Fast Five, but I'm pretty excited...:)
Yeah. That's it. That's all I have for you. :)
