I haven't stuck with these movies because the first was about as mediocre as it gets.

Rating: 5/10 (31 January 2014)

The L.A. mod/racing scene's not my bag, and it was mostly forced drama. But they seem to have reinvented this franchise as a heist/"Expendables" thing (and I'm a sucker for a good heist flick). They also brought in Dwayne Johnson. Here, take my money.
But "Fast Five" is a grander/more expensive version of the first movie; forced drama and unrelatable characters. And this is a cast that's surprisingly low on charm. So the casting of both Johnson and Joaquim de Almeida is indeed a charismatic highlight.
All in all, this makes for a pretty good mindless entertainment. The action's frenetic, the setpieces absurd. Speedy cars, 'splosions and whatnot. I've got no problem with this movie - I'm just not apart of that target audience.
5/10