It’s been a long road to where we are at today. My guys that started out racing Ja Rule (of Fyre Fest fame) and stealing DVD players out of moving trucks reached the top. Furious 7 showed the amazing journey the Toretto family took, leaving behind the world of street racing and becoming international world saving agents. I was not there from the start. My lovely and amazing wife talked me into watching the group of films in the lead up to Fast Five, which might be the second or third best action film of the decade. Ever since then, my veins have been filled with NOS, and I’ve been living my life a quarter mile at a time.
However, when Fate of the Furious released, I started questioning everything for the first time. The Paul Walker-less franchise seemed weakened by Vin Diesel taking everything way too seriously. I came to these movies to watch bank vaults fly through the streets of Rio, dry sports cars between Etihad Towers, and catch someone in midair while running from a tank. I didn’t come for Vin’s secret love child or Charlize Theron’s dreads. I questioned everything.
Yet today order was restored to the galaxy. I have come to worship at the idol that is the Hobbs and Shaw trailer, which might be the best movie-related thing to hit theaters in 2019.
Thank god. Let’s just start with saying thank you for this film getting back to the basics. We need characters who don’t take everything so serious. Embrace the mayhem. Embrace the chaos. I want to take this trailer, turn it into chrome spray paint, and scream “Witness Me” as I dive off a building.
In all seriousness, Idris Elba literally becoming a superpowered villain was the only place this film could go. Frankly, it is less ridiculous than the aforementioned car driving through each of the towers in Dubai. Elba brings the gravitas and danger you need from a Fast villain. We haven’t had a villain as intimidating or prone to one-liners, since… well Jason Statham.
Which brings me to my next point. Listen mi familia, I get that Vin feels like the foundation upon which this franchise was built. The Diesel-led films should continue to exist. But let’s be real. Statham killed Han (Sung Kang). How can those characters ever actually trust him in the regular franchise? Frankly, the fact that Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson can’t get along only adds to the issues. They’re undeniably the two biggest stars in the franchise. Frankly, Johnson works with everyone in Hollywood and there are never problems. Diesel seems relegated to just the Fast franchise. Maybe its time for the conscious uncoupling we all deserve and let the Hobbs and Shaw thing be their own story. Let this develop into something fun and different.
You can see how this relationship will only get better with more movies. They are ridiculous and exciting to watch. They are fun. Most importantly, they get along. Statham can finally be the comedic actor he should become (check Spy). Having the two together provided most of the best scenes in Fate of the Furious. They appear to be in rare form here, both as action stars and delivering ridiculous dialogue. That makes these movies good. We all wanted The Expendables but the actors got together too late. Having Johnson and Statham in their primes is too good to pass up.
