A lot has been made about the scope of the Fast & Furious franchise over the years. I don’t think anyone predicted when The Fast and the Furious became a surprise hit in the summer of 2001 that we’d be here in 2019 with eight films under its belt (with two more on the way), a spinoff released and a franchise that has grossed $5 billion at the worldwide box office. I’ve said this before, but the Fast franchise is Universal’s Marvel Cinematic Universe and it many ways its growth is even more impressive considering its humble beginnings.
Comparing the franchise to the MCU also seems accurate because the films have reached almost comic-book level heights of absurdity. These aren’t superheroes, yet they have moments where they seem impervious to the injuries that would kill us, mere mortals. The last film, The Fate of the Furious, featured a scene where it literally rained cars and also had a moment where Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson grabbed hold of a torpedo and hurled it across the icy landscape. That’s not real life, but this is why the franchise has become this perfect form of escapist entertainment. The more over the top it gets, the more fans seem to love it, and it almost makes you think they can’t go too far.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw is probably the most “comic book” the franchise has gone so far. There is a genetically enhanced villain, more death-defying action sequences that throw logic out the door and allow our heroes to survive the most outlandish of circumstances. The Fast & Furious Presents part of the title is to remind you that the characters of Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) began their journey in the leading Fast franchise and their witty banter was probably one of the better things about the last film. This spinoff takes the chemistry developed in that film and makes it the centerpiece here. It’s clear to see why these characters became so popular and why they were deemed worthy for their adventure. Vin Diesel and Tyrese may be naysayers, but there is no denying that a lot of the film works because Johnson and Statham are dedicated to their odd-couple pairing and it overcomes a bit of a bloated runtime to make their quips worthy of the price of admission.
The plot sounds like it could come from the standard comic book story. There is a species-killing virus that’s about three days from being activated, and the capsules containing the virus are buried under Hattie Shaw’s (Vanessa Kirby) skin. Hattie happens to be the sister of Deckard Shaw, so we know she will have her own unique set of skills. Hattie is eventually on the run from everyone, including her brother, Luke Hobbs, and “Black Superman” Brixton (Idris Elba). Eventually, Hattie joins the unlikely “family” team and the goal changes to finding a way to remove the virus from her body. Along the way we globetrot through London, Los Angeles, Moscow, and Samoa and, of course, over the top action occurs along the way.
Although this film is called Hobbs & Shaw, Vanessa Kirby’s Hattie holds her own in the banter departed with her male co-stars. Kirby is a force to be reckoned in her role and is fully capable of standing up against the boys in terms of her ability to look badass in her fight sequences. Once they become a trifecta, the film gets an added boost from their interaction and quite honestly all three of them are good together. Whether it’s Kirby and Statham or Johnson and Kirby or Johnson and Statham, their chemistry is palpable and quite frankly more entertaining than any of the action on display.
Director David Leitch, who once worked as a stuntman, is no stranger to the world of action. He’s one of the co-founders of the John Wick franchise, and he went on to helm Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2. Leitch no doubt crafts some truly elaborate sequences, but with a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes, a lot of it can become a bit too routine. I can have fun with this brand of action if it doesn’t run too long, but eventually, it can become ridiculous that seemingly ordinary people can survive what these characters are put through. Concussions, broken ribs or even death don’t seem to exist in this world, and I can accept that within reason but dare I say the film goes a tad too far with the suspension of disbelief. It’s undoubtedly fun, but some counts could be made so we could enjoy some of the action scenes that do raise the pulse. The hand to hand fighting is top-notch in the film, and the climax in Samoa is also a highlight, but we go through many action sequences that feel like more of the same before we get to some of these moments.
The film does some universe-building of its own to build itself as its franchise outside of the regular Fast movies. There are a few cameos that I won’t give away here, but they seem to suggest that if Hobbs & Shaw wants to be a franchise with their squad, the players seem to be in place. The cameos work, and the people involved don’t overstay their welcome. The film also sets up a scenario where the villain is merely a puppet in a more important story, and since we don’t learn who the main big bad is, it’s clear their identity will play into a second film. In the case of Brixton, I could see Idris Elba getting his spinoff may be further exploring how he got to be in the position he’s in. Elba is having a fun time playing bad, and he’s damn good at it, although I thought he was a tad underused. The trifecta of Johnson, Statham, and Shaw might be the highlight, but more Elba would’ve been much appreciated.
In many ways, Hobbs & Shaw is the perfect summer movie. It’s pure popcorn entertainment with charming stars that lets you check your brain at the door and have fun with the proceedings. Despite a bloated runtime, the film is never dull, and it makes a strong case that we’d want to go on another mission with these characters. The Fast franchise has always been about family, and that’s even a theme that runs through this film as well. If the quips between Johnson, Statham and Kirby can continue to be this good, I’d spend more time with this branch of the family tree sooner rather than later.
