Review: Hobbs & Shaw

In June 2001 the film “The Fast and the Furious” directed by Rob Cohen was released. 18 years and 50 sequels later here we are with “Fast and Furious presents : Hobbs and Shaw”.

I understand why some action fans are disappointed with The Rock, however since I never really saw him as a replacement for Stallone and Schwarzenegger, I don’t feel that disappointment even though I think he’s capable of doing more badass things in cinema. If anything some might argue that his filmography improved greatly after his shitty beginnings with such titles as “The Game Plan” and “The Tooth Fairy”.

The Rock playing the character of Hobbs was introduced in “Fast Five”, which in my opinion was the best of the series.

Jason Statham was introduced in a post credits scene in part 6,  killing Dominic Toretto’s good friend Han.

It part 7, his Dirty Deeds continued when he threw the Rock out of a fucking building and then mailed a bomb to Dominic Toretto’s house almost killing him, his sister, Brian and the kid.

But Dominic Toretto and Company are the most  forgiving bunch in the world & by part 8 there was respect amongst them & Jason Statham’s “Shaw” became one of the guys. Congrats to them for being so understanding cause I still hold a grudge towards the little cock sucker who stole my box of crayons in Kindergarten.

Here in this spin-off from “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, Hobbs and Shaw must join forces along with Shaw’s sister played by Vanessa Kirby, against a Cyber-Genetically Enhance villain named Brixton played by Idris Elba who belongs to a society that’s hell-bent on destroying mankind with a virus so that the weak can disappear and the best of the rest be turned to a superior race…or some shit like that.

You got to go watch this movie knowing exactly what it is. The movie is a completely over the top science fiction action movie that’s totally ridiculous and at no moment does it take itself seriously. If you expect anything more “grounded” you’ll be seriously disappointed.

The best thing about this movie is the cast. While we often shit on Bruce Willis for showing up in so many movies looking & acting completely bored to death, here the cast is clearly having fun. The Rock and Jason Statham have good chemistry together and both make a very good action on-screen duo. Idris Elba also acted like he was having fun playing the bad guy, plus the movie has a couple of surprise extended cameos that are fun. But it’s worth mentioning that The Rock’s real life cousin WWE’s Roman Reigns is in the movie as one of his brothers but he does nothing in the movie except stand in the background & fight. I point this out cause some promotional pieces  have come across as him being heavily featured in the movie and that is not the case.

The film was directed by David Leitch, the director of “Atomic Blonde” and “Deadpool 2”. This film is by no means great but if you accept it for what it is & you don’t take it seriously, it’s fun.

6/10