Title:Â Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Release Date: August 2nd, 2019
Studio: Universal Pictures, Seven Bucks Productions
Director: David Leitch
Release Format: Theatrical
Hobbs and Shaw in an over the top action movie that is beyond dumb, yet I still enjoyed my ride on this NOS fueled short bus.
Hobbs and Shaw revolve around the titular characters being forced to work together to stop a deadly virus. This puts them against “Black Superman” Brixton Lore as the cyborg proves deadlier to them than any test tube.
This movie is a spinoff of the Fast and Furious franchise but it fails to capture the magic of those films. It is being sold on being constant insane and fun, but often doesn’t come off that way.
Hobbs and Shaw are like that little brother that tries outdo their big brother’s cannonball into the pool. Cute, until that backflip goes wrong and they land stomach first on the concrete edge. Yet, you still can’t help but be entertained.
Blow Up Everything
Hobbs and Shaw’s premise is the crazy taking- down-a-submarine-with-cars scene from F8, but all the time. This is coupled with the idea that people loved both characters banter, except here those couple of minutes are stretched over two hours.
Hobbs and Shaw just crap talk each other for two hours straight, every single interaction is always petty. If the script was good maybe it wouldn’t get tiresome. It’s like hearing neighbors in an apartment building bicker, at some point it’s not amusing and you’ll bang the broom to the roof.
The script here is flat out bad. It has many of cringy moments that made me squirm in my seat more than most horror movies. Someone asks Hobbs who he is for him to reply “I’m a can of whoop-ass” and I can swear you can hear the camera crew groan.
The trailers made it seemed to be a fun ride, but it is uninteresting for the majority. It comes off as a lesser parody of the series by not understanding what makes these films work.
Director David Leitch co-directed one of the best action films of the last decade with the original John Wick. So it’s no surprise that the great cinematography is here, such as the gorgeous shots of Somoa’s green hills.
What is surprising is how the action is loud but has no real impact with a ton of cuts.
This movie doesn’t work until the third act where things finally start clicking. The dialogue works, the action is spectacular and the characters become likable. It stops being a parody and becomes a full-fledged FF film.
IÂ was giddy laughing like a little kid of how crazy-dumb things were getting. You know, instead of just sighing of how dumb-dry it was for the first two acts. The action got more creative, the fights were more intense and the jokes actually landed.
I had to question if the first two acts were done by the same team. As they come across paint by the numbers, then all of sudden everything on screen just works.
Which One is Hobbs Again?
Hobbs and Shaw has plenty of diversity in its characters. You can pick the testosterone-filled clean-shaven bald man or if you’re feeling adventurous you can pick the bearded testosterone-filled bald man.
Shaw (Jason Statham) was previously a flat-out bad guy, who entered the series looking for revenge for his family, which started with him killing Han. Now, Fate of The Furious and this are rewriting him as a good guy by saying he’s been good the whole time.
He’s always been a nasty piece of work and now he’s just diet, Hobbs. I guess having a complex protagonist is just too much for what this is trying to do
Speaking of Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), he calls machine enhanced Idris Elba “Black Superman” while ignoring his own powers. This man falls from buildings, cliffs and more without a scratch. He gets messed up badly and doesn’t even a limp. I’m not even sure stepping on the infamous Lego piece would make this man limp.
No matter how much these characters get harmed, they laugh it off with oneliners. It’s hard to feel any stakes when Hobbs and Shaw literally eat bullets for breakfast.
You could switch lines between almost all the characters and not bat an eyelash. Everyone is pretty two dimensional and the film doesn’t care, the story is just an excuse to get to the next setpiece.
You Know Why You’re There
Verdict: Hobbs and Shaw is an experience that has pieces of good moments here and there until the crazy fun last third. If your willing to get through some uninspired action to some fun supporting cameos and a great end set-piece, this is worth a watch.
The terrible dialogue and massive plotholes here can be overlooked for the gorgeously flashy directing, explosive setpieces and fun character moments spread throughout.
If you saw this at a matinee or even waited to rent it, you’d have a pretty good time. Pay full price and beware there are two types of people watching this. The ones who point at the screen shouting “why and how” and the others who turned their brain off at the door.
What’s the best Fast and Furious film? Name your least favorite film in the franchise. What are some great action flicks to come out the last year? Leave your comments!
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