Fast Five Movie Review (Essay Sample)

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Fast Five Movie Review
“Fast Five”, also referred to as “Fast and Furious Five” is an American film released in 2011. The movie, which falls under the action and crime film genre, owes its script to Chris Morgan while Justin Lin is the director (Huffman n.pg). This movie features renowned action actors including Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson and Paul Walker. Just like many action films, Fast Five is characterized by numerous violent scenes, aggressive language, brawls, gun fights, car races, and in this case a heist. Nonetheless, there are intermittent comedic phrases from the actors and scenes that showcase them as conventional people, thus humanizing the movie to some extent. This paper analyzes the film’s plot, the observed character personalities, the mood and emotions identified, and the outstanding thematic issues, among other film elements.
The film begins with Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) being moved to Lompoc penitentiary in a prison bus. Mia (Jordana Brewster), that is, Dom’s sister, with the help of his friend Brian (Paul Walker) attacks the bus and free Dom. Following the prison break, the authorities in the US begin an intensive search for Dom, Mia and Brian prompting the fugitives to seek refuge in Brazil’s capital of Rio de Janeiro. The three collaborate with Vince (Matt Schulze) an ally of theirs and formulate a plan to steal cars from a moving train. Even though they successfully steal the cars, they engage in an altercation with DEA agents in the train since they previously did not know that the train was transporting seized cars. The death of DEA agents in the train heist instigates the dispatch of a U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) team led by agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) to Rio with the principal aim of capturing Dom’s team and extraditing them to face murder charges in the US. Hobbs’ team successfully tracks Dom and his accomplices in the former’s safe house, but they manage to escape since the place is under attack by Reyes’ (a drug lord) men (Fast Five).
After realizing that they are running not just from gangsters, but the law as well, and when Mia tells Brian that she is pregnant with his child, Dom’s team decides to stay united and plan a final heist to start a comfortable new life. They decide to steal from Reyes, having acquired proof of where his money was in the prior train heist. The assembled heist team comprises of Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Ludacris), Han Lue (Sung Kang), and Vince (Matt Schulze) among others. However, before their plans materialize, Dom, Brian, Vince, and Mia are arrested by Hobbs with the help of his team. During extradition, their convoy is assaulted by Reyes’ goons, who end up killing Vince and members of Hobbs’ team. Hobbs, the local police officer (Elena), and Dom’s team, unified by the need to avenge their respective friends decide to go through with the initial plan. They attack a police station tearing free the vault with Reyes’ money from the building using cars. While driving off, the gang wreaks havoc on the streets as they drag the vault away with police and Reyes in pursuit. Eventually, Hobbs kills Reyes and gives Dom and Brian 24 hours to escape, since he is not willing to arrest them. As the film comes to an end, Brian, Mia, Dom, and Elena are seen seemingly comfortable in a South Pacific location, where Brian and Dom race to eventually settle the dispute on who between them is the best at driving (Fast Five).
As mentioned, the film is largely characterized by scenes of violence, given the fast changing situations; there are equally many varying moods and emotions (Smith n.pg). For instance, there is a sense of exhilaration as Dom’s team races or successfully achieves its objectives. There is also tension for instance prior to the train heist, then when Dom thinks that Vince has betrayed him and when Police invade Dom’s safe house as his team formulates a heist plan. Also accompanying the latter emotion is that of anger, for example on Hobbs’ part, when Dom’s team evades him, and again when Reyes discovers that there are people after his money and property. Love, friendship and kinship, are also evident emotional connections throughout the film. For instance there is love between Brian and Mia, as well as, Dom and Elena. Friendship is apparent among Dom’s team and Hobbs’ team, while kinship is between Dom and Mia. These aspects interweave the actions taken by characters in the film. An excellent example is Brian’s love for Mia; the latter’s familial connection to Dom, and the friendship between Dom and Brian that fuels the initial prison break. Friendship in both teams instigates the eventual resort to launch a revenge plan against Reyes.
There are several themes evident from the film, some positive and others negative. For example, there is significant commitment to teamwork hence loyalty of individuals to their respective teams. Dom is broken out of custody by a team albeit small and further goes on to organize heists with memb...