The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
A near ‘Fast’-erpiece
Action-soaked ‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw’ a bombastic blast of a spinoff
Now THAT’S how you do it. ¶ With “The Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw,” David Leitch not only gets the best guilty-pleasure movie franchise going back on track, but he also solidifies his place as one of the top action-movie directors working today. Referring to “Hobbs & Shaw” — the “Fast” series’ first spin-off after eight mostly glorious over-the-top, physics-ignoring affairs — as “actionpacked” feels like an understatement. This movie has more gargantuan, can-you-believe-what-they-just-did moments than a presidential debate has interruptions by the candidates. ¶ It also has mansized servings of its larger-than-life co-stars, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham, reprising their “Fast” franchise roles of Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw, respectively, and just being general delights. With the traditionally adversarial Hobbs and Shaw thrown together, “Hobbs & Shaw” plays like a more recent “Fast” flick crossed with a roast battle. The insults come almost as, well, fast and furiously as the explosions do over the course of more than two hours. It all can be a bit much by the final act, but it’s still one helluva ride. The film begins by introducing us to two new players: Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby), a capable and fearless MI6 agent, and Brixton Lorr (Idris Elba), a cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist out to steal a powerful “programmable virus” that can be made to target specific DNA sequences. When Hatti asks Brixton just who in the heck he is, he makes it pretty clear. “Bad guy,” he says matterof-factly.
Their encounter ends with Hattie carrying the virus inside her — it’s kept out of her system by capsules, but the clock is ticking on those containers — and Brixton framing her for the raid, causing her to go rogue. Leitch then cuts to the parallel introductions — they will be reintroductions for the franchise’s myriad fans around the globe, of course — of Hobbs and Shaw. Each wakes in a different circumstance, Hobbs in Los Angeles and Shaw in London, and proceeds to do something for breakfast involving eggs. Then, as Hobbs works out with weights, Shaw pulls on a tap to enjoy himself an early pint. Soon, they are recruited by their respective higherups to work together to track Hattie. “No (expletive) way!” is their stereo response. But take this assignment they will, Hobbs more out of duty, Shaw because Hattie is his sister, as you may have guessed based from her last name. (The movie’s production notes reveal that fact, but they do not reference a couple of really fun cameos, so we’ll use that as guidance and stay mum about those.) Ultimately, we get a three-headed hero, as the capable Hattie is allowed to take part in the effort to retrieve the virus from her, thus saving the world and, ideally, her life in the process. “Hobbs & Shaw” kicks into high gear with the three of them poured into a sleek sports car and being chased through the streets of London by the motorcycle-riding Brixton and his minions. As you would expect, it’s an incredibly fun and exhilarating sequence. “Hobbs & Shaw” doesn’t really stop to catch its breath until after a midmovie trip to Moscow to fetch a device they need to remove the virus. (There are disguises involved along the way. Johnson’s is rather delightful.) By that point, you’re pretty spent, having just injected about a year’s worth of big-screen action into your veins over the course of about 90 minutes and knowing you’re facing what will be an onslaught of a third act around the corner. That final stretch of “Hobbs & Shaw” introduces us to a new group of characters and certainly is a bit bloated, but it does offer a wild centerpiece that isn’t like any other action sequence you’ve seen, at least not exactly. Chris Morgan — who has written all the series’ entries since the third movie, “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), which set the tone for what the franchise would become — is credited with the story of “Hobbs & Shaw” and with co-writing the script (with Drew Pearce of “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation”). As usual, he’s come up with some inventive, if also insane, stuff. While the action seems as wild as ever, there’s nothing as annoyingly zany as the sequence involving Shaw and an infant in 2017’s “The Fate of the Furious,” so we will continue to blame director F. Gary Gray for that movie’s missteps. Leitch, on the other hand, shows that he gets it, that he’s exactly right for what the series has become. That’s hardly surprising given his impressive directing credits, 2017’s “Atomic Blonde” and last year’s “Deadpool 2.” (He’s also said to be the uncredited co-director of 2014’s “John Wick.”) Fortunately, the series’ best director, Justin Lin (“Tokyo Drift” through 2013’s “Fast & Furious 6”) is returning to helm the in-production ninth and planned 10th films. If something comes up with one of those, or if they need a director for another planned off-shoot, Leitch should be the first call. Look, if you don’t go for well-shot but ultimately mind-numbing action or the respective on-screen charms of action stars Johnson (“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” “Rampage”) and Statham (“Mechanic: Resurrection,” “The Meg”), there’s virtually no reason to see “Hobbs & Shaw.” But come on, they’re hilarious together, at least for a while. And Kirby, known best for portraying Princess Margaret on “The Crown” but also appearing in lastyear’s best action film, “Mission: Impossible — Fallout,” brings some actual acting talent to the romp. However, that goes only so far given what’s asked for her. More of a load is carried by the likewise talented Elba (“Molly’s Game,” “The Mountain Between Us”), who’s Terminator-light character is a better-thanaverage villain. He feels like an actual match for our muscular duo. Not surprisingly, “Hobbs & Shaw” leaves open the door for further adventures featuring the titular pair. And given some behind-the-scenes dramas, some of which reportedly involve Johnson and “Fast” series star Vin Diesel not getting along so well, maintaining a parallel adventure series may make the most sense for all involved. Then again, “sense” has never been the primary ingredient with this franchise, so do anything you like, guys.