Fast and Furious

I guess I am the target audience. NPR film reviewers panned this movie, with the final caveat [read with snobbish voice] "If you liked the other The Fast and the Furious movies, you will probably like this one". I did.

First of all, the opening scene is everything you would want from a summer action movie. Hijacking a 5-trailer (yes, five) semi, one trailer at a time, while at speed on a long straightaway. Improbable technique, fancy driving, requisite bad physics (no, a 10 second shot of cold air does not make hardened steel shatter when hit with a hammer), near death experience and crazy/gutsy aggressive escape. And for those who are looking for the tone of the film in the first few minutes, you get it with Vin Diesel seeing the need to talk into a walkie-talkie as an opportunity to show off his guns. Brilliant. Now don't get me wrong, this is no The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, which is still one of the best displays of car choreography ever. But a simple plot, clearly defined bad guys, good guys who have a bad element to them, fast cars, steady cam filming and avoiding the excessive sex and violence that often finds its way into these films makes this a good afternoon. It's not going on my "Best films of the year" list, but still worthwhile.
3-stars