Fast and Furious 5

DVDfever.co.uk – Fast & Furious 5 Cinema review Neil White reviews

Fast & Furious 5 Distributed by
Universal Pictures UK

• Cert:
• Running time: 130 minutes
• Year: 2011
• Released: April 21st 2011
• Widescreen: 2.35:1 (Super 35)
• Rating: 8/10

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Director: Justin Lin
Producers: Vin Diesel, Michael Fottrell and Neal H. Moritz
Screenplay: Chris Morgan
Music: Brian Tyler

Cast :

Dominic Toretto: Vin Diesel
Brian O’Conner: Paul Walker
Mia: Jordana Brewster
Roman: Tyrese Gibson
Tej: Ludacris
Vince: Matt Schulze
Hobbs: Dwayne Johnson

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So, it was a gorgeous sunny day but I missed it. Instead, I was in Birmingham Cineworld for three movies back to back.

The madness began at 10am. Actually, it was more like 9.40am but the doors weren’t open so I did a nifty turn to nearby Greggs, gorged a bacon sarnie to soak up last night’s ale and was then fit and ready for Vin Diesel against The Rock.

By the way, I’ve gone with Fast & Furious 5 as the title of the movie because of the poster but the British Board of Film Classification title is Fast Five. I know, only geeks care. Right back to the action…and there is absolutely masses of it.

From the first minute when his pals bust Dom Toretto out of a prison bus, right up to the credits, it is a swaggering beast of a movie – just what the big screen was made for. The fact that it is a sequel to a sequel to a sequel to a sequel should put nobody off. This is the franchise reborn. Of course, there will be no Oscars. Vin Diesel has scarcely an actor’s bone in his body. When he smiles it looks like he’s got wind. But who the hell cares? He is one meaty man mountain and kicks ass like no-one I’ve seen at the movies for a very long time. And, as said, he’s up against Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who is proving he can act. To have Tooth Fairy and this among one’s repertoire certainly shows a degree of variety.

Throughout the film I was dying for Vin and Dwayne to get down to some grapple and grunt and when they finally did all that was missing was the WWF announcers. Give ’em a big chunk of cash to get in the ring, I say.

What’s the storyline? Toretto, O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) have gone on the run to Rio where Vince (Matt Schulze) sets them up with a new job. This goes a bit Pete Tong and sets them up against the head of Rio’s mafia while simultaneously being hunted down by Dwayne and a crack team from the States. The stunts have to be seen to be believed. Every time one left me open mouthed it was followed with something even more dramatic. There are also some wonderful shots of Rio while the audience catches its breath.

The most recent Fast and Furious films have left me stone cold, but this, as Tyrese Gibson‘s character says, is “Mission Impossible to Mission In-frickin-sanity.”

I daren’t think what it cost to make but director Justin Lin has dealt a cracking hand here. The ending left another sequel on the cards, If it’s anything like this, bring it on.

Review copyright © Neil White – @everyfilmin2011, 2011.

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