Review #832: 'Fast & Furious 6' (2013)

There was once a time when this franchise retained a shred of realism. At the climax of the first film, The Fast and the Furious (2001), there is a moment in which a character must make a life-or-death leap from a moving truck into a moving car, both travelling at super-high speed along a straight road. Following the series' and its characters transition from loveable rogue criminals who dabbled in robberies and drag racing, into a super-group of international ass-kicking Robin Hood types, such distractions as the laws of physics are no longer an issue. Yes, this is the daftest entry yet, but the series shows no signs of fatigue, and, judging by the ever-increasing box office receipts, it won't be throwing in the towel any time soon.

After reaping the rewards of their multi-million dollar heist in the previous film, Fast Five (2011), the Fast & Furious gang are scattered and enjoying living the high life. Dom (Vin Diesel) is shacked up with Elena (Elsa Pataky), and Brian (Paul Walker) has seen the birth of his son Jack with Mia (Jordana Brewster). Han (Sung Kang) is in Hong Kong with Gisele (Gal Gadot), and Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Taj (Ludacris) are indulging in a life of private plans, expensive suits, and an entourage of babes. However, their retirement is interrupted by the arrival of D.S.S. agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), who brings Dom the shocking news that we were teased with in the post-credits scene of the fifth movie.

Dom's former girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), believed to have been murdered in the fourth movie, Fast & Furious (2009), is in fact alive and kicking, and working with international terrorist Shaw (Luke Evans), a Brit whose criminal philosophies come into direct contrast with that of Dom's. To Shaw, his team are little more than moveable pieces to be manipulated and sacrificed for his own gain, while Dom believes in the sanctity of 'family'. After a thrilling set-piece involving Shaw escaping in a custom-made racing car through the streets of London (clearly the film-makers have never seen the traffic in the capital), Dom comes across Letty for the first time, who in return shoots Dom without blinking. It appears amnesia is to blame.

You have to hand it to long-serving franchise helmer Justin Lin, who is given the task of increasing the ante with every film, and always having to involve cars. And what better road vehicle to employ to increase the carnage than a tank? We get that and a plane, in what feels like the longest runway take-off ever seen on screen. As long as the plane is still on the ground, it doesn't stand a chance against Dom and co. With their evolution from petty criminals into fully-fledged heroes comes an inexplicable ability for hand-to-hand fighting. We get Letty take on series newcomer Riley (Gina Carano from 2011's Haywire) with roundhouse kicks and wrestling moves, and a slow-motion leaping headbutt from Diesel in what proves the film's giddiest, must ludicrous moment. And with the series finally catching up to the events seen in Tokyo Drift (2006), we are offered a glimpse at the next film's antagonist, which, I'm rather ashamed to say, is an exciting moment indeed.


Directed by: Justin Lin
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Ludacris, Luke Evans, Gina Carano, Elsa Pataky
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie