Now Playing

Here's a look at the first (unofficial) big action release of summer.


Fast Five
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Synopsis: The summer movie season officially kicks off today, but it’s possible that the best action film in the first half of summer debuted on April 29. “Fast Five” might not be deep, complex, or original, but it’s a lot of fun. In 2001, “The Fast and The Furious” introduced a new kind of summer blockbuster. From there, the franchise got lost in the tall weeds for a few years as producers attempted to build films around other character combinations. In 2009, the original cast gathered again for a reboot of the franchise that was a smash hit at the Box Office. It also came with an ending that provided for a ready-made sequel. “Fast Five” is that sequel, returning not just the original cast but popular characters from all four films in the franchise for an epic next installment. This reunites may players from the previous films, including characters played by Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, and Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. This is not the kind of movie that you really need to concentrate on to follow. But it doesn’t lack for excitement. Even at more than two hours, the movie seems to fly by because it doesn’t take itself too seriously and it includes a lot of action sequences. Director Justin Lin (“Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift.” “Fast and Furious”) has a feel for this world. Now directing his third installment — the second with franchise anchors Walker and Diesel together — he has a good feel for the pace of the action, humor and big-time stunts. The series has done a great job of building up good will for the three central characters. You root for them to succeed if only to see what they’re going to do next. And this film doesn’t disappoint with its car chase and big stunts — including a somewhat implausible but incredible fun to watch train heist in the first act of the film. “Fast Five” is the perfect kind of summer film, and during a year in which we’ve faced a number of epic failures it’s nice to see a film deliver on what it promises. Hard as it may be to believe, this fifth installment in the franchise might be the best yet.
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content and language.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more