Fast Five (2011) Movie Review

Synopsis:

After a train heist goes wrong, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew find themselves in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Dom and his crew's main mission is to take down Rio’s crime kingpin, Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida).

Review:

Director Justin Lin returns to direct Fast & Furious' fifth installment.

With Fast Five, Justin Lin introduces audiences to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He also brings his signature action style along with it.

In Fast Five, Justin Lin expands on the ideas that his previous film introduced. This includes the action sequences, which are more well-shot as a whole.

These include intense gunfights, hand-to-hand altercations, and dynamic chases.

An area where director Justin Lin also improves is with his chase sequences. These action sequences also have a more focused editing approach.

Take, for example, a dynamic foot chase across Rio’s favela rooftops.

During this sequence, the camera remains focused on the action. It not once loses sight of the characters involved.

Also, Brian Tyler’s score during these sequences is exciting. As a result, they're heightened even further.

Tyler’s score is more memorable in this movie, which is a quality that fans will appreciate.

It is also clear that Justin Lin wanted to expand the scope and actions of the characters in this film.

As an example, the relationship between Dom’s sister Mia and Brian O’Conner has more depth.

Take the scene where the film reveals that Mia’s expecting a child as an example.

Alongside the film's main plot, this reveal provides Fast Five with even more tension.

This film also introduces Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Luke Hobbs to the franchise.

As expected, Dwayne excels during the action sequences.

Due to Dwayne’s sheer size, Hobbs is an intimidating threat during the film’s first half. He's also unrelenting in his pursuit of Dom and his crew.

As a build-up to their confrontation, Fast Five gives audiences brief moments leading up to it.

This includes their brief encounter during the favela chase sequence. There is also a face-to-face stare-off between the two.

Each of these moments adds tension to their hand-to-hand clash later on. This action sequence is also impactful, well-choreographed, and shot.

This approach to action is also evident during an ambush on Hobbs and his team.

It is in this action sequence that Dom and Hobbs put their differences aside to take down Reyes.

Joaquim de Almeida's Reyes is ruthless, with the actor giving a consistent performance.

Reyes is also portrayed as uncompromising. He is an individual who never lets anyone break his hold over Rio de Janeiro or its populace.

Joaquim displays an unnerving presence with the character. This makes him an improvement over the previous film's antagonist.

He is also involved in the film’s most creative action sequence. This is the bank vault chase towards the film's conclusion.

As soon as this sequence begins, it never relents. It involves the vault destroying building after building, leaving destruction in its wake.

Once again, Brian Tyler’s energetic score adds to the proceedings. With it, he brings excitement to the scene.

As a whole, its execution is fun and even introduces a unique plot twist thrown in for good measure. This is despite the outlandish concept of the sequence.

There will be some fans who want a more grounded approach. Still, there is no denying this sequence’s creativity.

This film also contains a similar visual style to the previous entry. It highlights both the grand and more run-down areas of Rio de Janeiro.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, Fast Five is an improved sequel to Justin Lin’s previous entry. It has superior action sequences, story, and score.

Each action sequence is well-shot. They're also backed by Brian Tyler’s energetic, bombastic, and engaging score.

Fast Five has good characters, giving more depth to Jordana Brewster’s Mia and Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner.

Dwayne Johnson also makes his presence known as Luke Hobbs. He also provides several engaging action sequences.

Joaquim de Almeida portrays Hernan Reyes as an unpredictable, uncompromising, and threatening antagonist.

These are good qualities that make Joaquim’s portrayal stand out compared to the previous film’s antagonist.

Fast Five provides a welcome dose of action entertainment. These include its well-executed sequences, alongside Brian Tyler’s bombastic score.

Furthermore, each character has enough depth to please most fans.

Also, Dwayne Johnson’s consistent portrayal of Agent Hobbs will draw even more audiences to this franchise. This shouldn’t be a surprise considering the actor’s popularity.

As a whole, Fast Five is a solid action film for all Fast and Furious or action fans.

Sam’s Action Reaction score:

Characters - 7/10

Story - 7/10

Action - 8/10

Visuals - 7/10

Soundtrack - 7.5/10

Overall score: 7.3 out of 10