Movie Review: Fast Five

Fast Five
Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, The Rock
Written by Chris Morgan
Directed by Justin Lin

Story: Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Connor are fugitives from the US Government. The Rock chases them to Rio de Janeiro as they try to rob $100 million from the biggest crimelord in Rio.

Review: The action is really stepped up in Fast Five compared to the first four Fast and the Furious movies. It's not a smart action movie, but it is big. Perhaps the most ambitious action film since Live Free or Die Hard. Like Die Hard 4 though, big action doesn't make a good movie. Sure it's fun, but the stunts are so unrealistic that it's more funny than good. Same with the acting, more funny than good. Everything in between car chases and fist fights is cringe-worthy. Speaking of fight scenes, The Rock and Vin Diesel have one of the best brawls ever put on film.

Comparable Movies: This could be Bad Boys 3 if they had put Will Smith and Martin! in it. Big car chases, gun fights in ghettos, girls in itsy-bitsy bikinis, and lots of male bonding. Plus add a little Ocean's Eleven in there, too.

Rating: **** out of 5

The acting and writing deserves 1 star, but this might have the best action scenes of the entire year. Definitely worth seeing in the theater on a big screen and big sound. Don't worry if you haven't seen the first four films, because there is no storyline.

May the Force be with you,
CHUD