Best of the series; A fun and clever action flick

Rating: 7/10 (2 March 2020)

At the end of Fast and Furious Four, Vin Diesel's character Dominic Toretto is sentenced to twenty five years in jail while Brian (Paul Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) run down the prison bus to break him out. In this fifth installment, the trio lands in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil where they continue running into trouble. In order to be truly free, they attempt to pull off a $100 million heist by assembling a team consisting of characters from the previous "Fast" installments. Their mission rips through Brazil while federal agent, newcomer, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and crime lord, Hernan Reyes chase them the entire action-packed time.
The Fast and Furious franchise has never been known for heavy emotional and dramatic Oscar-nominated filmmaking. This time around, the no-nonsense, action themed, series with fast cars and wild stunts continues; with a bit of an Oceans 11 style heist thrown in the mix. Each character is an integral part of the team in order for the plan to work. Family is a common theme and the actors play their roles well, making the relationships believable. The 130 minute runtime doesn't seem sluggish or boring, particularly the dramatic ending involving a giant safe wrecking most of downtown Rio. Fast Five continues giving audiences exactly what you'd expect from the "what you see is what you get" series; tons of action, edge of your seat explosions, and of course, fast cars. Those looking for a fun and clever popcorn action flick will enjoy Fast Five with friends. 7.2/10