New G.I. Joe, Transformers trailers not even worth posting

They're not. Simple as that.

As of this point in the ad campaign, G.I. Joe looks slightly better than Transformers--which, though--was greatly humbled from a surprisingly high bar set by its teasers.

Again--as of now, I don't know if I can handle watching Transformers in a theater--no trailer nor teaser can be trusted from here on out. G.I. Joe, on the other hand, still has a chance, though a very trashy, almost Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li kind of chance.

Michael Bay, I don't know why I ever stopped hating you. You need to be stopped, at once. I tolerate Bad Boys out of the 'badness' of my heart, but nothing more. As with Tony Scott, the gig's up, Mike.

Head over to /Film or Ain't It Cool if you really want to see them. And make sure you thoroughly question yourself before making even that decision.

Behind the scenes footage from the Expendables!

The good news just keeps rolling on in! Check of this behind the scenes footage straight from the set of the Expendables. It's actually well put together and to see Stallone 'in the zone' is pretty cool in its own right.

Two new posters for Give 'em Hell Malone!

For such a seemingly low-budget film, these posters are pretty impressive, and they only boost my already-insane excitement for this old-school-looking action movie. Courtesy of Film School Rejects.





Give us hell Russell and Tom, give us hell.

Source: /Film

Dolph Lundgren's mere likeness petrifies burglars

Lundgren reuniting with Jean-Claude Van Damme for Universal Soldiers: The Next Generation

This story is simply brimming with awesomeness. According to the Daily Mail, a family photo featuring action star Dolph Lundgren scared off a band of burglars robbing his home near Marbella, Spain. They had tied up and threatened his wife, Anette, with knives asking for cash and jewelry when the mug of Lundgren convinced them otherwise.

They may have turned away simply because of his increased influence as a celebrity, but it's hard to ignore, as the Daily noted, the "6ft 5in karate blackbelt" and intimidating screen presence that Lundgren represents. Either way, more power to Lundgren and his family for avoiding the theft without lifting a finger.

Despite this story's awesomeness, my best wishes still go out to Dolph's wife, Anette, for enduring the whole terrifying ordeal.

Source: /Film

Movies I'm NOT looking forward to

As a sort of morbid inversion to my positive ramblings on upcoming action movies, I've decided to discuss some of the more usual summer shit that's coming our way. I'll try and keep this short, but I'm already getting pissy (I'll also try and look at some of the more promising titles that I had originally neglected).

THE UGLY:

Fighting

Just go watch Lionheart again. For fuck's sake. Modernized, dumbed-down (can an action movie really be dumbed down? Yes-- Nikita made into Point of No Return, and-- other movies to come in this very column!!). And it's called Fighting. Fighting!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Go watch this instead. The only reason I'd even consider seeing this (apart from the whole debacle it's been through already) is for the random mutants round up as a cheap draw-in for fanboys. Did anyone ever care about Wolverine when he was finally transferred to the screen? Did anyone???

The Limits of Control

It's about that time for Jim Jarmusch to make another misstep. I'm sorry but this just doesn't look inspiring. It feels clumsily thrown together (the trailer, the poster, the story?) with a forcibly indie cast (not even worth listing) and an even more forcibly indie feel. Whatever.

Star Trek

I'd take Brett Ratner over J.J. Abrams any day and I hate Brett Ratner just as much as anyone. I will NEVER understand how people actually enjoyed Mission: Impossible III or the douchebag fest that was Cloverfield or any of his goddamned TV shows. Like Fighting, this looks dumbed down, modernized, and a complete waste of my fucking time.

Angels and Demons

Why am I even listing this? Tom Hanks has become an abomination. Maybe (hopefully) it's just because of that Nicolas Cage-Bangkok Dangerous hair he has going on.

The Taking of Pelham 123

My patience with Tony Scott has reached its fiery end. Not only is he bastardizing a wonderful '70s classic that has unfortunately become famous for directly influencing Quentin Tarantino (more on him later), but he is wasting everyone's time right on down the fucking line from Denzel Washington's to John Travolta's to his own not to mention ours. The gig's up, Tony! I will not turn my head the other way anymore! Oh no!

Public Enemies

Heat gone 1930s and digitial (wtf!?) with the equally overrated Depp and Bale chasing each other around oh-my-fucking-god how I wish I cared and how I wish Michael Mann had something left in the tank.

Inglourious Basterds

Mr. Tarantino's ego has finally reached its head and is going to explode! I hope it does! I've had it! No more patience, no more tolerance. This looks terrible.

THE BAD:

Terminator: Salvation

Looks passable, but has a definite unwarranted hype surrounding it. I mean, I like McG, but doing Terminator? My goodness.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

As nauseatingly horrid as the first one could be, this bigger-stronger-faster kind of sequel just looks too awesome to pass up. Let's hope it delivers.

G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra

This has big-budget mess written all over it. Yet, maybe for that very reason/maybe for something else, I still want to see it, and see it I will.

THE GOOD:

The Hurt Locker

Obviously. Essential. Viewing. Nothing. More. To. Say.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

When HP went all dorky-wizarding-shootout on our ass (in other words, bad action movie) in the finale of Order of the Phoenix, I knew the series could only get more awesome from there. And more awesome it has become. I mean, did you ever catch the original international teaser!? (!!!!)

Pandorum

If you've never seen Paul W.S. Anderson's Event Horizon or even Resident Evil then you're probably not very excited for this. If you've never seen Solaris, Alien or the recent Sunshine then you're probably not excited for this. Who doesn't love sci-fi horror? As lowly as he can be, Anderson (producing this time) delivers in this department.


Well, there you have it. The Ugly, the Bad, and the Good-Looking, coming to you this summer in 3D-HD-Digital and with a special talk led by the director, a.k.a., yours truly. Thank you and goodnight.

MakingOf.com

This new site has the potential to be a truly wonderful resource. Natalie Portman is serving as some kind spokesperson for it. There are a round of great interviews to check out from the director (e.g. Ron Howard, Michel Gondry) on down. Make sure to check it out--you won't be disappointed--and it can only get better from here.

Source: Movieline

Review: Fighter

This gal needs to get herself in some action movies...

At its essence, Fighter is a Kung-Fu, Girlfight retread that succeeds upon that film's strengths while learning from its mistakes just the same. That said, the cross-cultural, kick-ass experience which Fighter provides is still fresh enough to carve out its own niche and not only in feminist cinema, but in martial arts as well.

Writer-director Natasha Arthy brings real-life martial artist Semra Turan into the role of Aicha, a high-schooler from Denmark with an itch for Kung-Fu fighting and a disapproving Muslim background. Throw in real-life martial arts choreographer Xian Gao (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) in the role of an old-school Kung-Fu Master, and you've got Danish, Turkish, and Chinese ideas coming together in a wondrous, cross-cultural cataclysm that is of course sporadically facilitated by English ("English, please."). This is probably Fighter's greatest strength, as the blending doesn't feel forced and everyone is treated fairly. Apart from this, unfortunately, we see an all-too-familiar formula begin to take place. There is, of course, the father-daughter struggle, as well as the clashing of traditional and modern ideas. There's a love story, a hero and a villain, the reluctance of the mentor to each, etc. etc.: simply put, there's nothing here we haven't seen before, but that's not to say it doesn't work, and that doesn't work well.

The fight scenes have the inevitable Matrix-y whooziness to them, but they still feel very grounded in reality. The martial arts team, including Turan and Gao, really put a professional show, and while it isn't exactly Jackie Chan, it does prove to be solid entertainment. There's a great little fight in the kitchen with varied food, pots, and pans flailing everywhere as two fighters representing two families coming together in marriage duke it out, emotional-visceral style. The inclusion of an interview with Bruce Lee feels a bit tacked-on, but even then, it does add an extra element to the film (probably because of Lee's larger-than-life persona alone). There's also a recurring dream sequence where Aicha fights some sort of mythical ninja—it was clunky and predictable, but a change of pace nonetheless.

In the end, Arthy and Turan may not be quite as talented as their respective Girlfight counterparts in Karyn Kusama and Michelle Rodriguez, but they surely prove their worth here. The supporting players are all great as well; Xian Gao, Denize Karabuda (the mother), and especially Cyron Bjørn Melville, in the role of Emil, all do their part. The film's similarities to Girlfight may be striking, but in an industry that copies itself indefinitely, the legacy that Fighter represents is still a very fresh and welcome one.


*** out of ****

~ Patrick Fryberger

Uncomfortable Plot Summaries

This is the most hilarious thing I've seen in a long time. There's so many funny examples that I can't even decide which to post. Found shamefully--once again, on IMDb.

Also on IMDb is this article from MSN on women and action movies. It was a so-so read, but I might as well post it.

And since I'm on a roll here posting other people's material--over at Movieline, a note on Jackie Chan, as well as the scariest collaboration ever.

Slate article on Jason Statham

A decent article from Slate on the rise in popularity of Jason Statham. Found conveinently on the IMDb hit list.

Again, I'm sorry things have been so slow--I've been very busy finishing up with school, but they should pick up again pretty soon here, at least until I head off to New Zealand.

That's all I have for now.

New Armored, Harry Potter HBP trailers

Armored is a film I was considering placing amongst my anticipated action films for the next year (see the previous post), but I ultimately decided against it. This surprise trailer released on Apple would've changed my decision, though unfortunately it seems to tell the whole story. Either way, the film looks a tad more decent than I had expected, and I'll be excited to see it when it comes out.




Also, yet another trailer for the half-a-year delayed (way to distract the fans, Warner) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. That quibble aside, nobody does in better when it comes to trailers than Harry Potter. Seriously, the people behind these are professionals, through and through.

Check it out here.


Source: /Film

Street Preacher op-ed, 04/15/09

It's that (Jesus) time again! The Street Preacher op-ed!

It's been awhile since I did one of these, but with The Action Reaction finally slowing down for the month as well as my growing restlessness to shoot the shit, I thought the time was right.

So, first off, I'd like to begin with a quick overview of the action-oriented films that I'm excited for over the next year and a half. The first one should be pretty obvious:


The Expendables (Sylvester Stallone, 2010)

Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Eric Roberts, Brittany Murphy, Danny Trejo, Terry Crews, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Randy Couture, AND none other than the Governator himself. Need I say more?(!!!)

Avatar (James Cameron, 2009)

The last film this man made was Titanic. Before that, True Lies. Before that, Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Before that…well, you get the picture. Also features Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney-frickin'-Weaver for hot-badassness's sake. It's the kind of film you're pretty much excited for by default.

Give 'em Hell Malone (Russell Mulcahy, 2009)

When I finally got around to seeing the teaser trailer for this, I almost shit my insides out. I haven't seen an action movie that looked like this in years (emulating A Better Tomorrow II, anyone?). It's old school, low-budget, and it's Russell Mulcahy teaming up with his new Christopher Lambert in Thomas Jane (the resemblance is uncanny!). I can't wait, big screen or DVD, I'm there.

The Tournament (Scott Mann, 2009)

In the always-great vein of Mean Guns and Battle Royale, we have a poor-man's Expendables cast (Scott Adkins, Kelly Hu, Ving Rhames, and Robert Carlyle, among others) coming together to kill each other for no apparent reason. Could you really ask for more?

Brooklyn's Finest (Antoine Fuqua, 2009)

After being pimped by John Woo, Antoine Fuqua hit a high note with Training Day. Since then, he's failed to return to that level, but this looks promising. Reuniting with Hawke (and the cop genre), Fuqua’s brought together a great New York cast (Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ellen Barkin, Lili Taylor and Wesley Snipes as a gangster(!)) and a story by a newcomer that might just flow in the same way Training Day did. We'll see what happens.

Takers (John Luessenhop, 2010)

This has 'ghetto Heat' written all over it. Pretty-boys Paul Walker and Hayden Christensen team up (it's like Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire, kind of, at least) as a young gang of bank robbers being pursued by a wily old detective (Matt Dillon, former pretty boy, awesome). Also features bad-boy Chris Brown. I don't care what anyone says—I'm genuinely excited for this. For now, at least.

The Book of Eli (The Hughes Brothers, 2010)

A "post-apocalyptic Western" pitting standard-hero Denzel Washington against standard-villain Gary Oldman. Sounds pretty awesome to me. And just look at this awesomely dystopian cast: Ray Stevenson, Jennifer Beals, Michael Gambon, and Tom Waits. And, with the Hughes Brothers at the helm, this may just be, well, awesome.

Rogue's Gallery (Fouad Mikati, 2009)

Yet another killfest, but this time with seemingly-comic elements. Apart from the silly tarot-card names, the film also features a spree of comedic actors (Jeffery Tambor, Rob Corddry, Bob Odenkirk, Michael Hitchcock, Zach Galifianakis, Beth Grant, and Brandon Jackson of Tropic Thunder). I really like the prospect of witty comedians put in action-oriented situations, though this is the kind of idea that hangs by a thread. We'll see how long it can hang on.


Note: Ving Rhames is in three of the above titles. Hence, Ving Rhames is awesome.


In other news, last weekend I caught Observe and Report. It was, as many have said, Taxi Driver trying for a laugh, and thus extremely disturbing in that respect. I'm not even going to try to write a review (pussying out, yes), because, frankly, the movie repulsed me in every way, but it did so in a strictly professional manner. It was consistently inconsistent in being a comedy or simply just a disturbing drama. I would say it was beyond the realm of dark comedy; it was something else entirely. To see 14-18 year old kids laughing their asses off when a character shoots someone point blank (and in no way a cool Tarantinoesque fashion) is more disturbing than the film itself. A horrible, disturbing trashfest I never plan to revisit again. Goodness.

In further news, I couldn't help but notice the (Twitter?) announcement of a future fourth Bourne film...To me, it's like making a fourth Lord of the Rings, or something; it just doesn't work. The three Bourne films were solid, fresh and innovative entertainment that shouldn't be tattered by excess sequels. Leave that to Kickboxer, or Critters, or some other ungodly series.

Finally, I want to bring to note something of a more serious nature. Recently, it was brought to my attention via the Film Experience Blog that my (everyone's) long-time favorite online shopping website, Amazon.com, has strangely and enigmatically filtered their search results against gay and lesbian material. The whole thing is pretty complicated (head over to Film Experience and its links for more info), but regardless, please take the time to sign this petition against the whole mess. If Amazon actually okay'ed this, I won't even know what to think. It's beyond embarrassing. Whatever professionalism Amazon once represented would now be gone. I really hope this is just some kind of fluke that can be fixed ASAP.


On a personal note, like with what happened over December-January, I will be out of the country from May 20th-June 13th. This time I'll be heading down to New Zealand (13-14 hour flight!?!?), again on a global seminar (mini study-abroad program). The Action Reaction might screech to a halt during that time, but, as always, I'll be back better than ever when summer rolls around. And since I'm already on the subject, I should also be moving out of my engimatic home state and down to Los Angeles by September of this year. Big plans, man, big plans.

~ Street Preach out!

SA Celebrity Stalker: April Edition

Been really busy, so I've been slow to post news or anything else relevant. Yet, as always, when the going gets rough, go to Something Awful:

Truth be told, they really need to get someone else to handle this feature. No offense to Josh "Livestock" Boruff, but usually most of his descriptions are a little off the mark. However, one persona he certainly has down Val Kilmer (utterly hilarious). Oliver Platt, Bob Hope, Carl Weathers, and Wayne Knight are also worth a look. Check it out here.

Why the Expendables will be unfathomably awesome

First official photo:



Courtesy of AICN.

Great Action Performances: Bob Hoskins in Unleashed

'Uncle' Bart recounts a disturbing vision in Unleashed

In the woozy opening credits of Unleashed (a.k.a. Danny the Dog), we see a collared Danny (Jet Li) slumping along through a blue, industrial murk. As the top-billed names pass by, we see hints of another figure come into view—ultimately forming into the bald head and white suit of "Uncle" Bart, as played by Bob Hoskins, as the title "Unleashed" whooshes onto the screen. For them to share the title shot says enough, but this eerie death march is only half the introduction, as, moments later, Bart snuffles up behind Danny, and utters, "Ge'em" —a line which, when heard for the first time, seems more like a sound effect than actual dialogue. The sequence then continues by giving Jet Li his martial arts stage and having Hoskins furnish us with the basic premise of the film. These first impressions of Danny are made by the hovering, frightful presence of an equally dog-like Bob Hoskins, a presence which maintains throughout the film, even with his absence.

Another entry in the long line of Luc Besson-produced action films of the last decade, Unleashed was an oddity, in itself more than anything. The strange mixture of action and drama had always been a specialty of Besson's (Nikita, Léon), but Unleashed seemed to take it to new heights, with Besson understudy Louis Leterrier at the helm. The script had been written exclusively for Jet Li, but the part of Bart was bumped around between an assemblage of prestigious English actors (Michael Caine, Billy Connolly, Brian Cox, Albert Finney, Anthony Hopkins). Being a poor man's variant of most of that list, Bob Hoskins was the perfect choice, as the character is essentially a poor man's variant of a gangster; his conspicuous white suit and small, unspectacular gang show this more than anything. And, because most of those actors would shy away from such a grotesque and thankless role, in an action movie no less, the versatile Hoskins was up to the challenge. In the end, we find that not only was he up to the challenge, but, like the film as a whole, he takes the role to new heights.

Following the aforementioned opening sequence, is the first of what I'll call the 'in the car' scenes, where Bart converses with Danny and the gang 'in the car' as they ride to and fro. These are not only some of the best moments of Hoskins's performance, but of the film as a whole, as well. The first scene comprises of dream of Bart's, where Hoskins simply and straightforwardly (almost Tarantino-esque) relates a believable and intriguing vision to his compatriots. It’s intriguing because it could be set up as some enigmatic thematic device or simply an effective (i.e. believable) way to introduce the daily life of Bart and co. The second is a Freudian explanation of the dream in the same manner and context, serving as a bridge between the two scenes. This bridge 'falls' and a new one pops up in its place when the Jaguar is hit by a dump truck in a hit-and-run/drive-by attack on the car—this crash is mirrored by a later one, or the third 'in the car' scene, where, after the pit fight, Bart ponders the issue of "family" and Danny forcibly crashes the car as a response. These three speeches given by Hoskins have such a genuine, convincing air to them (probably because Hoskins was playing a part of himself) showing that when good dialogue and even better actors come together, the results can be wondrous.

Hoskins sniggers, spits, growls, and simply lives his way through the film, nailing Bart’s lack of intelligence/accumulation of wily wisdom that makes him so interesting. Through the 'whore' scenes, the interactions with Wyeth (played by Michael Jenn – the head of the fight club), and the great little speech at the grocery store, we see Bart dealing with different types of people in different ways, but all fluid with the core character at hand. Another, particularly funny aspect is the way he gets the crap kicked out of him through the whole movie, and kudos to Leterrier and co. for not making this gag overbearing and keeping it on a fairly subtle level. But by far the most monumental scenes are when Bart is in persuasion mode with Danny, specifically concerning his deceased, or murdered (by Bart) mother.

In the first example, Danny is forced to return to the murky, dirty warehouse that Uncle Bart calls "home." The first shot we see of this reunion is a Young Frankenstein/Rocky Horror-esque lightning flash over Bart, coupled with his maniacal laughing and cackling. His white suit intact, he now sports an arm brace in addition to his neck brace, which he snaps off, declaring, "I'm back!" with sheer, rippling confidence. This provides a great piece of camp, but the good stuff starts when Danny asks about his mother. Bart answers him, "No one wanted you… no one cared whether you lived or died, except me." He continues with a bit of advice, "Don't dwell on the past, look to the future. The past, is behind you, the future, is ahead of you, a bright, glittering mountain of gold. Do you want to know what your future is, Danny?" Backdropped by a great old ominous theme, Hoskins delivers these simple but delicate lines with grace, and ultimately makes the scene—the dialogue here frankly gives him little to work with.

The second and final example takes place when Bart finally hunts Danny and his new family (Morgan Freeman and Kerry Condon) down. After unloading an automatic pistol at him, he tells him, "I know we've had some rough patches, but what family doesn't, eh? Listen, you get over this business, we can have plenty more." He continues this sentiment when he finally corners Danny in the room where Sam and Victoria are hiding in the closet. The speech is so spectacular that I'll let it speak for itself:

"You gave up our good life for this? This is it? This is your refuge, your home away from home? This is your place of, awakening? Art, books… music, for what? Did it make you a better person? Look what you made of it. Nice people took you in, they give you, everything, and look how you repay them. You destroyed their lives, like you'll destroy any life, that's because you’re not meant for this kind of life, Danny. You're a dog, you're my dog, I fed you, I trained you, I own you, and I shall kill you like any responsible owner would do to a dog that caused this much pain, this much suffering… but [drops gun], a heart [takes out collar], come home, Danny, I'll forgive you. You'll be safe, and back in the world that you understand, the only world you'll ever understand. Whaddya say? Forgive and forget? I know just how confusing the world can get. I'll make it simple again."

As Sam says afterward, "That man could talk some serious shit."

Hoskins aside, Jet Li, Morgan Freeman, and Kerry Condon all give superb performances as well, making Unleashed an action movie of many 'great action performances.' But it is Hoskins that rises above and makes this awkward little film fire on all cylinders. The clever scumbag of Bart chews up scenery like its nothing at all—I haven't even mentioned all the outrageous one-liners and flat-out noises that come out of Hoskins's mouth. Either way, the point is clear: Bob Hoskins, I salute you for giving such a great performance to the action genre as Bart in Unleashed.





~ Patrick Fryberger

First photos from The Expendables

Spoiler TV has the first photos from the shoot of The Expendables. I won't post them here because of their potentially spoilerific nature, but feel free to check them out.

Also, don't forget about the film's Twitter page. It's actually pretty interesting.

Source: /Film

New Videos Added, 04/07/2009

New videos have been added to the YouTube page, including clips from the following movies:

A Better Tomorrow II
Derailed [2002]
Extreme Prejudice [blocked in some countries]
Police Story
Rapid Fire [blocked]
Tai Chi Master [a.k.a. Twin Warriors]
The Delta Force
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift [blocked]

Be sure to check them out, as well as the rest of the collection. And, as always, more on the way!

Follow the Expendables on Twitter!

I've never been much of a Twitter guy, but this I plan to keep up on. From AICN, "You can now follow Sheryl Main, the unit publicist for Stallone's THE EXPENDABLES, as she updates from the film's shoot." The cast, including Stallone himself, is 'twittering' as well.

Check it out here.

Hunter Prey, Cherrybomb teaser trailers

Two teasers here, one for the seemingly very derivative (both Star Wars trilogies, anyone?) but oddly refreshing Hunter Prey, and the second for Rupert Grint's escape from the Wizarding World Cherrybomb. While neither look particularly spectacular, they each look like solid, intriguing efforts that I plan to follow. Both ripped from /Film.

Hunter Prey teaser







Source: /Film

Genuinely hilarious

These are both fairly late, but (arrogantly-admittedly) I wanted to give my review some breathing room. But now that that's over, time to dive back in. The first is from Funny or Die, the second, from Something Awful:

Wolverine ENTIRE MOVIE Leaked Online - watch more funny videos

The link provides a better size--check it out, it is, as the title suggests, genuinely hilairous.

Review: Fast & Furious

Not enough Michelle, but plently of action to go around in Fast & Furious

Simply put, the combination of director Lin and the imposing original cast pays off: it’s kinetic energy meets charisma (and a whole lot of cars) in a fitting and mostly successful amalgamation of the previous entries in the series.

Fast & Furious opens with two bravura introductions, one a ridiculous (but wonderfully so) heist of a 4-tank petroleum truck, and the second a visceral foot chase through the streets of Los Angeles. These are intros deserving of the series’ personable stars, for with each deficiency in the so-called ‘acting department,’ they make up for it with a whole lotta persona, and by God, does it work. On the flipside, we have director Justin Lin, who breathed legitimate kinetic energy into the series in 2006’s The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift, and I say legitimate because while the throwaway-critique phrase is often used to refer to a purely stylistic visual show, Lin, with Drift, infused actual life into the series; we cared about the characters, however lame or pretty-faced, and what happened to them in a place that wasn’t just some stock-exotic setting. Returning writer Chris Morgan should also be praised in this respect. However, Fast & Furious isn’t without its flaws.

First and foremost, there’s frankly not enough Michelle; Michelle Rodriguez was and is the most talented of the group and her prolonged absence is a real drag (though her exit is handled surprisingly with grace). The picture as a whole feels a bit overlong and a handful of scenes feel a beat or two off. The fact is—unfortunately—nothing lives up to the great first act and couldn’t even if it tried, but the film manages to hold on through the finale—much more successfully than Lin did in Drift, which frankly fell apart at that point in the story.

Lin also manages to uphold much of the effective formula of the series, for one, in featuring the welcomed presence of a solid veteran actor (Jack Conley, preceded by Ted Levine, James Remar, and Sonny Chiba, respectively). He also casts a crowd of familiar young faces (Laz Alonso, Ron Yuan, Brandon T. Jackson, Monique Curnen), a sly little component that has worked wonders through each film. The references to the previous stories (Sung Kang of Drift makes an appearance) also work pretty well, through any mention of 2 Fast 2 Furious is left out (which, objectively speaking, is probably for the better). And of course, Lin hits the nail on the head with plenty of hot cars, girls, music, and action to go around. This will surely please your any given Fast & Furious moviegoer.

In the end, Justin Lin probably needs to get back to taking projects more deserving of his talent, but for now, he’s doing a fine job with the Fast and Furious series. Though I doubt this will be the last, Fast & Furious would be a fitting conclusion, being that it effectively summarizes and wraps up the contents of the series’ stories and function. But either way, the film works as what it is: a sparsely flawed, but ultimately winning piece of entertainment that keeps the speed and the fury kicking in full gear.


*** out of ****

~ Patrick Fryberger

Who's excited?

Only 2 days left...

Nuevo modelo. Partes originales. Es Rapidos y Furiosos!

Review to come Friday.

Not funny, not amused

See here, here, and here. The temporary waft of fear that admittedly ran over me was most unpleasant. Not funny, not amused.