Fast & Furious Review
I haven't seen any of the prequels to Fast & Furious, so I have no basis to compare it to any of its earlier incarnations. What I can say is that it's an action-packed, adrenaline pumping, speed inducing action fest. To be terse, it's pretty much what I expected.
To its credit, the opening action sequence is as intense and stimulating as the introductory sequence from Quantum of Solace (in my opinion). This seems to be a current trend in action movies; they open with a big bang and draw you in. And why not? Many movie-goers are looking for a quick thrill, and may not have the attention span to hold out for long, convoluted storylines. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, merely stating the obvious.
Unfortunately, I find the movie to be far too reliant on a particular "scene", one that I can't really relate to (yeah, I'm lonely :P). Parties, girls, alcohol, and muscle cars. And while that is all well and good, I have no point of reference for this lifestyle, nor am I particularly interested. Some would argue that that's the point of entertainment and movies in general, and I cannot discount that argument.
The movie is also pretty unrealistic (and again, that may be the point of over-the-top action flicks, but just hear me out). I am not proposing that the action takes away from the storyline, but I do have a hard time accepting that Brian O'Conner (played by Paul Walker) would get away with what he did, and still be welcomed back in the police force.
I also did not expect Vin Diesel's character (Dominic Toretto) to be a stoic one. I would not have thought him to be a grim and serious type (although Diesel pulls it off with grace). I understand that he is supposed to be the embodiment of masculinity, and in a rare glimpse of Hollywood counter-ethos, he refuses to get involved romantically with Gisele Harabo (played by Gal Gadot), one of the main ladies in the film. He is nevertheless an unrelenting and militant character, and even O'Connor winds up joining forces with him.
My expectations aside, it was a pretty decent action flick. I do not condone the making of such a film, but I would be lying if I said that it did not entertain me.
To its credit, the opening action sequence is as intense and stimulating as the introductory sequence from Quantum of Solace (in my opinion). This seems to be a current trend in action movies; they open with a big bang and draw you in. And why not? Many movie-goers are looking for a quick thrill, and may not have the attention span to hold out for long, convoluted storylines. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone, merely stating the obvious.
Unfortunately, I find the movie to be far too reliant on a particular "scene", one that I can't really relate to (yeah, I'm lonely :P). Parties, girls, alcohol, and muscle cars. And while that is all well and good, I have no point of reference for this lifestyle, nor am I particularly interested. Some would argue that that's the point of entertainment and movies in general, and I cannot discount that argument.
The movie is also pretty unrealistic (and again, that may be the point of over-the-top action flicks, but just hear me out). I am not proposing that the action takes away from the storyline, but I do have a hard time accepting that Brian O'Conner (played by Paul Walker) would get away with what he did, and still be welcomed back in the police force.
I also did not expect Vin Diesel's character (Dominic Toretto) to be a stoic one. I would not have thought him to be a grim and serious type (although Diesel pulls it off with grace). I understand that he is supposed to be the embodiment of masculinity, and in a rare glimpse of Hollywood counter-ethos, he refuses to get involved romantically with Gisele Harabo (played by Gal Gadot), one of the main ladies in the film. He is nevertheless an unrelenting and militant character, and even O'Connor winds up joining forces with him.
My expectations aside, it was a pretty decent action flick. I do not condone the making of such a film, but I would be lying if I said that it did not entertain me.
What do you think? Leave a comment