Fast Five - 4.5/5

Hold on. It's hard to type with my foot planted firmly in my mouth. I must admit, until a few weeks ago when I started reviewing "The Fast And The Furious" franchise due to requests for this site, I was firmly opposed to this franchise. After seeing the rather impressive "Fast & Furious" and now the more than impressive "Fast Five", I'm okay with eating my disdain. Not all of the films are as bad as "2 Fast" as it turns out and in the case of "Fast Five", they are a kick ass combination of fun character chemistry and blow-your-ass-out-the-seat action. Ironically, making the fifth entry the best thus far.

Brian (Walker) and Mia (Brewster) are still on the run after busting family member and general badass Dom (Diesel) on delivery to prison. They find themselves in Rio broke and in the present of old friend Vince (Schulze). When a heist to earn some money goes wrong Dom, Brian, and Mia come at odds with both an expert DSS hunter ('The Rock' Johnson) and Rio's biggest drug baron. To get themselves out, they build a team of all of the best thieves and drivers from previous films to take down the drug baron and score themselves 100 million dollars.

"Fast Five" is gloriously over the top and it knows damn well what it wants to accomplish in its 130 minute run time. Bringing back Justin Lin to direct and really shifting the franchise from a racing series to full on action film was the perfect combination to make this film rock. From the initial Dom break out on a prison bus (that seriously defies physics to flip so many times I started to laugh out loud) to the final vault break car chase that seemingly never ends much to my chagrin, "Fast Five" is non stop very awesome action that will make your jaw drop with awesomeness. You get gun fights, espionage, car chases, car explosions, and a fist fight between Diesel and The Rock through an entire building which is worth the price of this film alone. If you are looking for top notch modern action, "Fast Five" is easily where it is at.

Of course, action is all good - I mean who doesn't want to see a giant truck get rammed through the side of a train? - but does the film itself work? Well, the story is just as over the top as the action in all honesty. The dialogue is a ton of one liners worked into some thin basic action film plot lines. The Rock does have some tear inducing humorous lines of the kick ass quality. If you can't take a story that pushes the lines of logic or dialogue that isn't taken all that serious, then know that "Fast Five" utilizes this to full effect.

It must also be noted that the chemistry of the cast on screen is so much fun that it makes all of the action and ridiculous plot points seem feasible. Lin, as a director, just captures the action and chemistry of the film perfectly and ably navigates the ensemble cast to almost perfection. Many times ensemble casts just crumble, but not with "Fast Five". It only adds to the whole ridiculousness of the film and makes it a blast to watch.

Thusly, after seeing this fifth entry, I have to admit that this series is turning out to be one hell of a great thing. It started off shaky, turned ugly for a while, but with Lin at the helm and a new focus on its foundations, it's becoming one of my favorites. There I said it. Foot in mouth. "Fast Five" rocked and rolled me. Consider this an apology for my doubt from film one.

Written By Matt Reifschneider