Fast & Furious 6 will be the summer action movie to beat
These movies just keep getting more entertaining with each incarnation, so fasten your seatbelts because ‘Fast & Furious 6′ is going to put the pedal to the metal and take you on a high speed, action-packed ride.
If you would have told me back in 2001 that The Fast and the Furious would go on to become a ridiculously successful film franchise spanning over five movies and counting, I probably would have laughed in your face. But as time went on I can honestly say that I really didn’t see it coming, because The Fast and the Furious franchise snowballed into a feverish sleeper hit of a film franchise that even I enjoy watching — especially on the big screen.
With a huge ensemble cast starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Sung Kang, Luke Evans and more, Fast & Furious 6 picks up after Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and his criminal gang of street racers finished their Rio de Janeiro heist in the last film.
Now retired and living abroad with the millions he and his team got away with, Toretto is confronted by a ghost from his past when Diplomatic Security Services agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) presents him with information that his long-believed dead girlfriend Letty (Rodriguez) is still alive and working jobs for a known mercenary and terrorist named Owen Shaw (Evans). Hobbs offers to clear Toretto and his gang of their criminal records in exchange for joining forces to take down Shaw. The movie only gets more entertaining from there.
Probably the best thing about this movie is that it is a great action movie with an uncanny sense of pacing. Fast & Furious 6 is very reminiscent of a roller coaster ride, the pacing picks up with high octane action sequences and chases and just as you’ve gotten your fill, the film will slow down just long enough for you to catch your breath and digest just enough of the plot before the action picks up again. With such a large cast and so many things that are going on at the same time this movie was pieced together brilliantly.
The acting wasn’t anything to write home about, but for a summer action flick it gets the job done, just as it had in the last five films. I’ve never been a Paul Walker fan since I saw a scene of him in Timeline where he couldn’t even iron a shirt convincingly, and he was able to do his role without distracting me from the film’s story. Tyrese Gibson’s character helps move the film along with his comedic relief and the way he bounces off Chris Bridges’ character, and the duality between Johnson’s and Diesel’s characters made for a great onscreen dynamic as well. Ever since Fast Five I was waiting for a full-on team-up between Toretto’s gang and agent Hobbs. This film doesn’t disappoint.
Fast & Furious 6 boasts great cinematography which just adds to the film’s pros. Then again, when shot in exotic locales such as the Canary Islands or vibrant cities like Tokyo and London it’s no surprise. And when you add colorful cars into mix topped off with slow-motion butt shots of scantily clad women walking by, it’s pretty much the best cinematography you can expect from a car culture film.
If you have to ask if there are any glaring downsides about the film my answer would be “not necessarily.” Fast & Furious 6 does suffer from your typical popcorn action movie tropes. The characters are one-dimensional for the most part but don’t drag down the story with their cookie-cutter roles. And thanks to the film’s genius-level of pacing there’s enough balance between fast and furious action and just enough drama and comedy to keep you entertained for the long haul.
Fast & Furious 6 is the best film in the series to date and I look forward to the next one. Watch this movie with a packed crowd and you will get sucked into the true experience of why summer action films are made: to entertain our socks off!
This guy must have been paid to write this review. I was SO EXCITED for this movie, and IT WAS HORRIBLE! I don’t usually cringe or shake my head during movies (I easily suspend my disbelief) but this thing was straight GARBAGE!!! I think this movie was mocking itself and I know why Justin Lin won’t be back for more, he totally dropped the ball. Was the action ok? Yeah, kind of. Was this the worst representation of the characters? WITHOUT A DOUBT. This movie is getting too much praise when IT SUCKED. From the opening title sequence, to the unbelievable Letti storyline..Just trash. After the first 30 minutes of the movie I thought it was about a D. Over the next hour it raised up to about a C (average) and then the HORRIBLE AIRPLANE RUNWAY SCENE totally dropped it back to a D. Did you get paid to write this review? Because you are wrong. Your opinion is wrong.
No one’s opinion is wrong, but judging from the fact that there is a second positive review from another CC writer (also not paid), I would have to say yours most probably is. And the film is at a surprising 73% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes right now.
This movie was FLAT OUT FUCKING HORRIBLE. Meaning these opinions are in fact, wrong. Blinded by excitement and familiarity. Unable to review a movie without being a fan first. Watch this movie again in 2 months and then apologize to me. This movie fucking sucked.
I used to know someone like you — always right. I’m glad I don’t anymore.
(And P.S., I haven’t seen any of the films, so I have no opinion either way, but simply because you don’t agree with someone’s opinion doesn’t give you the right to be an ass.)
I’m not an I’m always right person. I’m a ” I can’t believe this movie is getting decent reviews” kind of guy. Just kind of baffled by it. Sorry
The last time I ever saw a movie at a theater that really blew me away was when I saw Inception. And before that was Forrest Gump. You have to realize that they just aren’t making as many movies these days that push boundaries for storytelling. We live in a day and age where our default brand of entertainment is “commercialized.” Think of it as processed foods. Not that great for you but you still eat them anyway? When every movie is a sequel, prequel, reboot or an adaptation of something else it’s hard to get totally behind it. So the best thing we can hope for is that these commercialized movies at least keep us entertained. F&F6 won’t win any Oscars, but then again I don’t watch movies just to see if they’re worthy of receiving awards. Bottom line is that I didn’t sit through the movie wishing I was home watching the latest Syfy channel original movie release or Human Centipede 2. Were you? For $11 bucks you can go to a packed theater and be entertained with a fun crowd. So until the next “great” movie comes out I’ll keep taking these fun movies. I suspended disbelief and was entertained. It’s a shame you weren’t. To each his own.
I don’t subscribe to the idea that they’re not making as good of movies these days. It’s just that they are making a lot more “OK” movies now.
But I’m picky — and oddly NOT picky — about what I consider a “good” movie. But considering that there was some incredible stuff that was released last year in a variety of genres (Perks of Being a Wallflower might have become my favorite movie of all time, but see also: Looper, Zero Dark Thirty, Silver Linings Playbook) that we frankly don’t give enough credit to.
I enjoyed the film for what it was: A fun summer popcorn flick that didn’t try to be more than it was.
I had fun watching it and had a great crowd along for the ride. Ultimately it was a good movie-going experience, and that’s why we go to the movies … to have that experience.
And nobody’s opinion is ever wrong — but you can disagree with them!
I wish I got paid to write this review. Especially in this economy.
Wait for the box office numbers to roll in. I’m pretty sure this movie will rack in a lot of cash. I wouldn’t be surprise when/if it surpasses Iron Man 3 and goes on to be the top grossing film of the year. *shrug* I’m not even a car nut. I just know what people like and happen to like it too.
I enjoyed FF6 (probably more than IM3 actually), but let’s be serious for a moment. Iron Man 3 just cracked a billion dollars, and is one of the top 5 grossing films of all time. Fast Five still hasn’t earned half that
https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a484797/iron-man-3-becomes-5th-top-grossing-film-of-all-time.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_%26_Furious_6#Box_office