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Fast & Furious franchise fans won’t be disappointed
Movie Reviews
By Lynne Martin
FAST & FURIOUS 6 (2013) starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is the very first movie in this popular franchise to break away from the street-racing theme. Choosing to focus on the action aspect, this sixth instalment has taken a well-calculated risk and in the process will successfully manage to lure a wider audience than just those interested in the car-culture.
The original racing team of Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Connor are recruited in a desperate attempt to bring down a Special Ops soldier by the name of Owen Shaw. Originally reluctant to risk their personal safety and security after relocating to extradition free Moscow with their $100 million dollar score from FAST & FURIOUS 5, Toretto and O’Connor only consent after realizing that a dear friend might be involved in the high stake heists with a dangerous new team.
With over two hours of supercharged action, audience members will be treated or assaulted (depending on your bent) to some of the highest sound levels I’ve experienced on a film. When the sparse dialogue eventually does break the action, I promise that your eardrums will thank you for the reprise. So grateful for the break, you’ll barely notice the clichéd repartee as Diesel and Walker’s easy flowing banter could have been lifted out of any instalment in their franchise.
Audiences looking for action, recognizable characters, and exciting car chases will not be disappointed. FAST & FURIOUS 6 won’t be nominated for any Academy Awards, but as far as summer viewing—this latest release will be a hit. FAST & FURIOUS 7 is scheduled to begin filming with a new director in August of 2013. Directed by Justin Lin, Rated PG-13, 130 mins, Action, Adventure, Sequel, *** 3 stars out of 5.
Peeples one step short of a laugh
Presented by Tyler Perry, PEEPLES (2013) starring Craig Robinson, Kerry Washington, and David Alan Grier feels like a movie that we’ve all seen before. With a predictable story line and a cast of stock characters, the hour and a half comedy plays out exactly as we would expect from a relationship based story.
When Wade Walker surprises his girlfriend by suddenly appearing at her family reunion in the Hamptons to help celebrate Moby Dick Day, the fireworks begin to really explode. Secretly planning to ask for Grace’s hand in marriage, Wade struggles to find the right moment to propose while alternately fighting to find his place within the family’s inner circle.
Written in the style of many ‘meet-the-parents’ type of comedies, audiences won’t be the least bit surprised to find an overbearing father figure, an understanding/artsy mother, and of course siblings with guarded secrets of their own. Limited comic relief can be found in Wade’s best friend—showing up unannounced to lend his moral support with an ever-ready tube of lip balm.
Clumsily attempting to deal with homosexuality, the theft of a family heirloom, and cultural rites of passage, PEEPLES always seems to stop just one step short of the laugh. The jokes are well set-up; they just aren’t allowed to mature to the point of laughter. Whether it’s the lack of originality or the stock characters, it’s hard to tell. Either way, this movie tends to bore more than it entertains. Directed by Tina Gordon Chism, Rated PG-13, Comedy, ** 2 stars out of 5.
– Lynne Martin is an avid movie collector and a staunch supporter of sexual education. She currently resides in Alberta, Canada with her husband and their large extended family. For a complete list of her reviews and other works, or to leave a comment, please go to: www.lynnemartinbooks.com.
