"Fast Five"

****

Ten years after the first Fast and the Furious movie one would think the franchise, at an average of one movie every two years, would be running out of gas. Bad pun intended. But this fifth outing, economically titled Fast Five, is not only the most successful of the franchise, it's arguably the best, if not necessarily the most flat-out entertaining. After a bravura opening involving three cars and a prison bus, the movie kind of lags a bit. But it's what it does during this unusual (for a "F & F" movie) down time is also what sets it apart from the rest: it dares to attempt some actual character building. Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), and Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) come across as real people for the first time in the series. Dwayne Johnson joins the fray as federal agent Luke Hobbs, who makes Tommy Lee Jones' agent in The Fugitive look like a do-nothing wuss of the highest order. Sexy Elena Neves (Elsa Pataky), apparently the only non-corrupt cop in all of Brazil, joins Hobbs to track down Toretto and Co. The rest of the characters are one note, including the villain, but mostly lots of fun.

The introduction of most of these secondary characters (including several from previous "F & F" movies) as the new crew is rather amusing, and marks the turning point where the movie slips into a higher gear and starts delivering up the action and the humor in ample doses. After setting up a street race and then daring to have it occur off screen (gasp!), the movie more than makes up with a "just-for-kicks" drag race in police cars that is loads of fun and, right at the end, suddenly contributes once again to character. Hobbs and Toretto share one of the most bad ass Mano-a-Mano brawls I've seen in a good long time, even if it does end somewhat disappointingly. And it all leads up to one of the most wildly ridiculous but incredibly entertaining chase scenes ever, involving two sports cars, possibly hundreds of cops (all supposedly corrupt), and a dragging, several ton safe. Did I mention it was ridiculous?

Don't let my comments about character building fool you, ultimately the movie is as silly and irrelevant as the rest. But unlike the rest, it bothers to lay a little groundwork before pelting the mindless action at you. And for that, it earns a little more respect.

Post Script: stay tuned when the credits start; a final scene is tucked into them that not only sets up the inevitable F & F 6, but throws in a delightful twist!