Dom is at it again

Rating: 6/10 (8 September 2013)

Having resurrected the series after the critically panned sequel – 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS - returning director Justin Lin rigs this sixth installment with an action packed cocktail of nitrous oxide and adrenalin; a perfectly blended chemical compound that will have you laughing out loud even as you clench your toes through the film's high-octane action sequences.
Picking up where FAST 5 ended, US Diplomatic Security Service Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) grants fugitives Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and former FBI Agent Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) a full pardon if they help him take down criminal mastermind Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). Toretto is of course uninterested, until Hobbs reveals that Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) is alive but working for Shaw. A far as the synopsis goes, that's all you need to know, because that's all there is to it. To be fair, the FAST & FURIOUS saga has always been about high speed races and chases and less about character development or a mindboggling story. And Like the preceding films, the background story in this sixth installment is literally in the back seat, with emphasis on the ride rather than the destination. Neither is FURIOUS 6 the type of film inclined towards rocket scientists or viewers searching for logic. George Smiley burrowing after a Soviet spy within MI6? No. Regular doses of humour, peppered with death-defying stunts? Yes, and there is a truck load of it and it comes at you just as the title promises. This, essentially, is what makes FURIOUS 6 subjectively indulgent, with or without the popcorn. However, there is food for thought and fans of the series could be split debating whether or not this film is the best in the series.
Although Lin injects a fresh canister of cinematic nitro, this latest episode lacks a worthy antagonist even though this film has the largest character ensemble in the series. On that note, characters don't die and dead ones are brought back. While there is a timeline-unknotting-explanation for that, the fact remains that Shaw is heavily outnumbered, and it shows. After five globetrotting adventures, Dom's 'family' has increased in size with many characters reappearing from previous films. In addition, Hobbs is no longer an advisory and along with his team of Special Forces sharp-shooters, becomes Dom's souped-up armory on wheels. There are also issues with continuity amid rip-off moments from iconic action films (think Lethal WEAPON 3). Through all the vehicular carnage, characters can take a beating, and still appear unfazed and unharmed. This carries on till the final skirmish onboard a cargo plane on a take-off run, on what has to be the world's longest runway! Real pilots in the audience would probably wet themselves laughing.
But despite its flaws, some even absurd, FAST & FURIOUS 6 is a high energy action movie and competently made. Fans are treated to having Rodriguez back and there is a whole subplot about her 'new' character. Tyrese Gibson is also back but this time, more than ever, serves one real purpose and that is to shoot out some well-timed one-liners. As a summer opener, it not only revs up the fun-o-meter but also hurtles past the competition as a lucrative action film franchise. Bruce Willis - kindly heed that last line. While it is unusual for sequels to get better with each release, the FAST & FURIOUS franchise seems to mature with age and there is a very strong suggestion of a seventh installment. An end credits scene confirms this with the introduction of a new character. Pay attention to the film's baldness joke and you might just figure out who joins the cast in the next movie. If you do, you might also win premier passes for FAST & FURIOUS 7!