Fast Five

Rating: 7/10 (8 October 2015)

This was the fifth film in the non-stop high octane franchise full of cool and fast cars racing and chasing each other, including lots of action and some stunts along the way, directed by Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious 4 and 5). Basically Dominic "Dom" Toretto (Vin Diesel) is being transported to prison, but his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and friend Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) cause the bus to crash, allowing Dom to escape, the authorities begin a search for them, the trio meanwhile travel to Rio de Janeiro. They join their friend Vince (Matt Schulze) to participate in a job to try and steal three cars from a train, it is discovered that U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents are on the train, then they end up getting captured by right-hand man Zizi (Michael Irby) and his henchmen, bringing them to crime lord Herman Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), but they manage to escape and get to their safe house. Brian, Dom and Mia investigate the importance of the one car Reyes was trying to get his hands on, a computer chip is found in it, looking at this Brian discovers details of Reyes' criminal empire, including the locations of 100 million U.S. dollars in cash. Diplomatic Security Service agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson) is assigned to find and arrest Dom and Brian, they are found, but the safe house is also surrounded by Reyes' men, Dom suggests splitting up as they make their escape, but Mia reveals she is pregnant with Brian's child, they stick together and form a plan to steal the millions of dollars. Organising a team, with some old friends, including Tej Parker (rapper Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges), Roman Pearce (Transformers' Tyrese Gibson), Han (The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift's Sung Kang), Gisele Yashar (Gal Gadot), Tego Leo (Tego Calderón) and Rico Santos (rapper Don Omar), they form a plan to steal the $100 million and split an equal share, this will enable them all to start new lives. After some time planning the infiltration of Heyes' building, stealing the safe containing the millions, and cracking it open, and of course training with very fast cars to pass security cameras, the team are ready to carry out the robbery, when Hobbs and his team catch up to them. Dom, Mia, Brian and Vince are found and arrested, being transported to the airport the convoy is attacked by Reyes' men, Hobbs' men are killed, but the four save Hobbs and officer Elena Neves (Elsa Pataky), Vince is shot and killed, but they escape the attack, and Hobbs and Elena agree to help with the heist. The gang break into the police station and steal the vault holding Heyes' money, dragging it through the city, the police chase them, Brian is able to kill Zizi in the pursuit, Hobbs arrives on the scene and kills an injured Reyes, and he gives Brian and Dom a head start to escape, but only if they leave the vault. However during the chase the team were able to switch the real vault with one looking identical, the cash is split between the team, including Vince's family getting his share, they all do their separate ways, on a tropical beach Brian is relaxing with a visibly pregnant Mia, and Dom arrives with Elena, Brian and Dom challenge each other to a final no-stakes race, for old times. In the post-credits sequence Hobbs is trying to catch up with the heist gang, Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes) hands him a file concerning a hijack in Berlin, it shows a recent photograph of Dom's former girlfriend Leticia "Letty" Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), who was presumed dead (following the events of Fast & Furious), this will continue in the following film. Also starring Alimi Ballard as Fusco, Fernando Chien as Wilkes, Yorgo Constantine as Chato and Geoff Meed as Macroy. From the fourth film onwards the series changed in mood and style, it may feel different but in a way it's more modern, the plot bringing back familiar past characters for a great fast-paced heist is great fun. To be honest, the storyline going on is not the thing to pay the fullest attention to, it is the pedal-to-the-metal stuff, all the colourful and cool cars fuelled up, with extra rocket boosters and switches, that speed and crash their way around, and the explosions and stunts along the way keep the pace up as well, all in all it's a most entertaining action thriller. Very good!