FAST FIVE/ THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS FIVE

US, 2011, 131 minutes, Colour.
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Joa quim de Almeida, Dwayne Johnson.
Directed by Justin Lim.

Another sequel and the series is certainly vrooming. (And, if you wait during the final credits you will find a short trailer/teaser for Fast Six.)
There are speeding cars doing manoeuvres round a bus on a desert highway with the bus overturning and rolling and rolling. There is a robbery of flash cars from a moving train, a carrier vehicle crashing into the train, Paul Walker hanging on to the edge of the carrier as a narrow bridge is approaching, then he and Vin Diesel and a car do a Butch and Sundance very long leap into a river only to be surrounded by thugs. And that’s only the first twenty minutes!

Fans of the series will know the characters, Vin Diesel’s occasionally smiling taciturn Dom, Paul Walker’s smiling Brian O’Connor?, Jordana Brewster’s romantic side as Dom’s sister and Brian’s wife. In the past, they were in Tokyo and this time they are in Rio. Plenty (plenty) of moving postcards shots of the city and its beauty – and plenty of warning not to go into the barrios unless you are Vin and Paul. Even the crack US agent, Dwayne Johnson doing a tough impersonation of his professional wrestling name, The Rock, and his team find that they have to backtrack in the face of the gangs and their guns.

Joaquin de Alameida is Reyes, the Rio kingpin of drugs and deals who has, it seems, most of the police in his pocket. (I wonder what Brazilian director, Jose Padilo, maker of the two Elite Squad films thinks, about it with his very dim view of the Brazilian law enforcement agents.) Dwayne is after Vin and Paul. Vin and Paul are out to get Reyes. We don’t waste much time in watching the planning. We generally go straight into action. And, there are some twists – nice one at the end.

If Al Jolson had been writing this review, he would at this stage say, ‘You ain’t seen nuthin’ yet’. The last twenty minutes are much more oomphy than the first twenty. How they filmed it, I don’t know, but it looks like a real chase with umpteen cars or more smashing their way through the streets of Rio.

The fans, despite the fact that there have been four fast and furious films already, will certainly not be disappointed. Nor will the producers because it seems there are more than enough fans out there to pay up – and ensure Fast Six.

1. The popularity of the series? Number five? Cars, races, speed, the furious?

2. The cast on their return, the central characters, the supporting team?

3. Action sequences, stunts, special effects? The score?

4. The opening, continuity, Dom in prison, on the bus, Brian and media, their relationship, chasing the bus, getting Dom out of the prison? Their continued chases, breaking barriers, the law, borders, speed? Arriving in Rio?

5. Rio, Brazil, the scenic aspects, the streets, poverty, gangsters?

6. The pressure on the team, in Rio, the decision to rob the gangster chief? Assembling all the team, the variety of characters? Personalities?

7. Brazil, the gangster, wealth, corrupt, the team targeting him?

8. Luke Hobbs, his reputation, tracking people, finding people? Going to Rio, the encounter with the group, the chases and pursuits, the final confrontation?

9. The film’s emphasis on action and thrills rather than the characterisation? Building up to the final confrontation and spectacle? The sequel?