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| Vin Diesel and The Rock |
Action-packed "Fast & Furious 6" more, mindless over-the-top fun
The summer movie season is officially in full-throttle with the latest, mindlessly entertaining installment of the "Fast and the Furious" franchise, "Fast & Furious 6." Ridiculously, almost preposterously over-the-top action sequences are the chief reason to see the film and impressive enough to carry an otherwise routine film. In this outing, professional criminals Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker), still wanted men in the U.S. but living overseas, are called back into action by special agent Luke Hobbs (The Rock) to bring down another dangerous criminal named Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), who has some formidable weapons of his own, namely Toretto's supposedly-dead lover Letty (Michelle Rodriguez). Directed by Justin Lin in his fourth "Fast and the Furious" film (and who has morphed the franchise from street racing to heist), "Fast 6" is the perfect summer blockbuster where you can leave your brain at the door for some sublime action-set pieces, fast cars and fun fight sequences which clearly and unsurprisingly highlight the film. It all speeds by at such a frenetic pace that you'll overlook everything else: the wooden acting, the bad dialogue, a rather milquetoast villain and some nonsense about computer weaponry, so it's best to just focus on the cars and action, executed with such a roll-your-eyes-over-the-top flare it's comical yet rarely dull. All of the main cast returns, including Diesel, The Rock, Walker, along with Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster and a back-from-the-dead Letty, played by Rodriguez with her usual grit but who meets her match in the equally tough Gina Carano (and providing some great girl-on-girl fighting). As for its best asset, "Fast 6's" most memorable action sequence comes two-thirds of the way through and involves a lot of cars, a scenic highway and an enormous tank, all of which you've seen in the ubiquitous trailers for the film, with a fun but overlong climax a close second. Mindless, enjoyable summer entertainment, "Fast 6" passes as high-priced junk, but know it's still the Cadillac and not the Edsel, of car action films. Also, don't jump and leave too soon or you'll miss the bonus pre-credits scene that previews the 7th installment and features a big action-star as its newest villain.
Wes's Grade: B-
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