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EDITOR'S PICK
Rating: *** 1/2
It is proving to be one of the longest running franchises in Hollywood that has
inspired countless film, including India`s own "Dhoom" series. And
though the quality went down after the first, the fifth instalment does give
enough juice for hopes to be raised that the "Fast and the Furious"
franchise will live beyond "Fast Five".
Ex-cop and current convict Brian (Paul Walker), on the run for helping Dom (Vin
Diesel) escape, finds himself with Dom and Dom`s sister and his lover Mia (Jordana
Brewster) doing a job in Rio. Here they find themselves not just on the wrong
side of the law of Brazil, but also pitted against a drug lord who runs Rio. In
comes federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) who`s also hunting them down.
Would the trio, and the motley group of cons they assemble, be able to pull one
last, impossible con before buying their freedom out of another hellhole they
find themselves in?
Though the story of "Fast Five" is intelligent enough, there`s nothing
cerebral about the movie. Yet, it is perfect example of a cliche-ridden action
film that acts as an adrenalin pump in the body and manages to give its viewers
an uninterrupted fun ride.
Thus you have the ruthless drug lord who controls the entire city, cheap,
disposable, street scumbags in the great ghettos of Rio, a female cop who has
turned cop out of vengeance, a ruthless but bighearted FBI operative and his
team, corrupt police under the drug lords thumb and the motley cast of small
cons who are pitted against them. You thus have yourself the setting for a
perfect action flick.
"Fast Five" is full of moments and characters action flicks are famous
for. Add to that car chases, roof top chases, beefy men, scores of mangled and
flying cars, explosions, hot-bodied women strutting their wares, some
unbelievable but cool looking stunts, funny idiosyncratic men, some quick
emotional moments about the importance of the family, male bonding, and you have
yourself every cliche in the action genre.
And to pack so much into 130 minutes of screen time, takes not just effort, but
great skill. And both writer Chris Morgan and director Justin Lin have ample of
both.
The action sequences in the film though have a shade of many others, the sheer
pace and excellent execution of the same gives one the value for money and time
one would expect from such a film, which does not take itself seriously.