Fast & Furious Five

Die Serie verwandelt sich von einer Tuning-Show für Teenager in einen richtigen Action-Kracher, wo das Brüllen der Motoren von Maschinenpistolen und Schrotflinten übertönt wird. Ein gut eingespieltes Team und Action, der wilde Dschungel von Rio de Janeiro, ein überraschend reichhaltiges und ehrgeiziges Drehbuch, welches den widersprüchlichen Bay-Film Bad Boys II (der thematisch in vielen Aspekten ähnlich ist) übertrifft. Die Besetzung von The Rock war ein exzellenter Volltreffer, er hat den Film bis zum Testosteron-Maximum geboostet. In einem 130-minütigen Film haben wir hier gleich drei Banden von harten Kerlen mit fetten Autos und großen Knarren, die von sexy Girls umgeben sind. Was könnte man sich im Rahmen des Genres mehr wünschen? (05.05.2011)

Wenn es nicht die Szene nach dem Abspann und weitere Filme gäbe, wäre dieser Teil ein ausgezeichnetes Finale der ganzen Serie. Die Geschichten der bekannten Figuren werden während einer großen Actionfahrt abgeschlossen. Bei der geht’s nicht nur um Autos, sondern auch um Kontaktkämpfe, Schießereien… Die wilde Regie von Justin Lin, der super charismatische Schuft Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel und Paul Walker, die ihre Rollen genießen, die gut funktionierende Musik von Brian Tyler, welche hier endlich genug Raum bekommen hat… Und das riesige Finale mit dem Tresor, das mir den Atem verschlagen hat (und welches ziemlich dumm die fünften Pirates of the Caribbean geklaut haben). Auf so einen guten Film habe ich seit dem ersten Fast & Furious gewartet. (13.05.2020)

This is the most honest bit of action in the last couple of seasons. After the demolitions of the digital Englishmen, the real stunt cars began to be destroyed at such a pace that Hollywood insurance people must have jumped out of their skin when they finally saw it. Lin manned up like few before him and fueled the tried-and-true blend of all the previous films, topping it off with the necessary octane by casting The Rock. Luke Hobbs, an overgrown, muscular beast, is brought in by an army transport special, and all hell breaks loose in a way that we would have looked for in vain in films that were originally about tuning, lots of nitro, and asses in tight shorts. Catchphrases can be heard all the time, there are some great action inserts, and then there is the fight we’ve wanted since Sylvester Stallone was rolled up by Steve Austin. The Diesel vs. Johnson fight is a physical bulldozer that breaks tables, knocks down walls, and still manages to exude that manly anger that such duels often lack. It all culminates in an action-packed ride through Rio de Janeiro that will have you running around like you did a year and a half ago in "Modern Warfare 2." An overflowing genre box. A regular aspirant for the Top 5 blockbusters of the year and a compliment to Lin. The Terminator idea suddenly looks very promising. (14.05.2011)

Hands down, the best episode of the series. Unfortunately, the overwrought pivotal action scene at the end, with a half demolished Rio and a massive vault behind two bulldozers, was too far beyond the edge of acceptability for my taste. And when they open their mouths in the non-action passages and the characters spout life's truths and wisdoms, even Mrs. Cliché and Stupidity run to hide behind the camera in terror, it was really hard to listen to. Thanks at least for Dwayne's character of Agent Hobbs, because you can never have enough of The Rock and his fist fight with Diesel, when the surrounding walls were collapsing like styrofoam backdrops, brought me out of my lethargy. (08.05.2011)

The first film of the franchise that I watch, attracted by the very good reviews. What I got was precisely what I expected: very well made silliness. Some of the one-liners are funny, some are ridiculous. The action is pretty brutal, you can really feel the style and the energy, even if (especially by the end) it felt a little physically fairytale-like. It’s a watchable film and one of the best in the “summer action nonsense” category. (25.08.2011)