HOBBS AND SHAW/THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS

US, 2019, 135 minutes, Colour.
Wayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Hattie Kirby, Helen Mirren, Eddie Marsan, Eliana Sua, Cliff Curtis, Lori Pelenise Tuisano.
Directed by David Leitch.


The fans of The Fast and the Furious franchise – and they are legion, increasing over the almost 20 years of the franchise – need no introduction to Hobbs and Shaw. Wayne Johnson’s special agent Hobbs has been in involved in all kinds of fast and furious escapades. Shaw, on the other hand, Jason Statham, was on the wrong side of the law in the fast and furious shows. But, he there is some reluctant working together, capitalising on the mood of the hostilities.

Interestingly, one reviewer, not liking this show, noted that Hollywood has been making action adventures for the mentality of 12-year-olds. He dismissed this show by saying that it was designed for six-year-olds. Six-year-olds? Is this big screen extravaganza how six-year-olds tick?

Rather, fast and furious fans and audiences, whatever the age, whatever the mentality, can recognise that this is a big-screen version of a comic book. The characters are larger than life. The situations have been invented rather than reflecting reality. The action goes way beyond the probable (a strong ingredients of its being attractive). Subtlety is not the first quality in the film-makers’ mind, whether it be the writers enjoying thinking up this kind of action concoction, or the director (David Leitch in this case who has been stunt advisor on many a show). These days, thank goodness, they have to add a little emotion to temper the adrenaline, Hobbs having a little daughter (chatting to her on the phone while Shaw is in grave danger behind him); Shaw having his roguish old mother (Helen Mirren again) in prison but reconciling with son and daughter.

And there is a mysterious leading lady, caught up in all the action – but no romance – played by Hattie Kirby (who played Princess Margaret in The Crown).

Maybe that is enough of a review, highlighting what the filmmakers have got up to, to make the biggest and noisiest action show that they can, relying on the larger-than life screen presence of the cast, getting in as much stunt work as they can – and they do, especially the finale on Samoa where Hobbs goes back to visit his family, reconcile with his brother, re-establish his roots and introduce his daughter to them. Just to say that Wayne Johnson lassoos a plane, a number of cars link up to try to drag the plane down-to-earth, some swinging way over the water and cliffs.

So, not a film for classic critique, rather a show that audiences can enjoy or not, depending on their tastes and interests, and encouraged by some scenes during the credits that we haven’t seen the last of Hobbs and Shaw!



1. The Fast and the Furious series, Hobbs and Shaw and their roles, clashes, audience expectations of the spinoff?

2. The British settings? The range of London settings? Streets and chases? Laboratories? Espionage and authorities? The American sequences, Hobbs and his daughter? The transition to Samoa (filmed in Hawaii!)?

3. The range of stunts, action, fights, car chases, shootouts? The final battle and the range of instruments, including traditional? CGI for the stunt work? The musical score?

4. Hobbs and Shaw in the previous films? The on-screen personalities of Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham? American and British? Clashes, collaboration?

5. The film as a large screen version of a comic strip? Big, simplistic, unsubtle – and fans response to this?

6. The plausibility of the plot – and whether that mattered? The virus, its power, Brixton and his being transformed into a human/robot? The search for the virus, Hattie and allowing it into her, the need to get it out, in its container?

7. The introduction to the plot, London and the confrontation, Brixton and his men, Hattie and her stealing the virus, the pursuit? The role of the inventor, his collaboration – and with the flamethrower?

8. Shaw, in England, his lifestyle? Becoming more dapper? Going to the prison, his visit to his mother, audiences enjoying Helen Mirren, presence, accent, old school? And the audience enjoying the visit to the prison at the end, mother with son and daughter, plans to get her out?

9. The contrast with Hobbs, his young daughter, breakfast with her?

10. Each of them getting messages, split screen, not wanting to work with each other? The clash of personalities – in reality, mock clashes?

11. Their initial work, Shaw tracking down Hattie, the irony that it was his sister? His knowing her background, memories of the past, their mother evoking them, playing together, rivalry in collaboration? Shaw going to criminal work? Hattie going into the community? Relationship with Brixton? Hobbs and his research?

12. The different styles, the investigations, having to work together, the clashes with Hattie, the collaboration? The confrontations with Brixton, his powers, the cyber work inside him, his having to be recharged?

13. The range of action episodes audience enjoyment, fights, dangers, chases, stunts?

14. The decision to go to Samoa, Hobbs and the clash with his brother, away for 25 years, his mother welcoming home, his brother suspicious? The whole community working together to offset the attack? The old weapons? The brother and his work on the virus?

15. The battle on Samoa, Brixton and his soldiers, the control, the fight? The old warrior battles of the past in the 21st-century?

16. The attack, the stunts, Hattie with Brixton, the vehicles, the plane, the lassoo, Hobbs holding the plane, Shaw driving, the range of cars, holding the plane, swerving out over the ocean, bringing the plane down, Brixton and Hattie? Brixton losing his power?

17. Happy endings on Samoa, family, the little girl meeting her grandmother? Happy endings in prison with mother and her son and daughter? And the further jokes during the credits – intimations of sequels?