Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw

With charisma and chemistry to spare, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham carry this enjoyably ridiculous action-comedy, which is arguably the most entertaining mis-matched buddy-cop team-up in years. For bombastic action and comedy bickering, this is hard to beat.

Premise: When MI6 field agent Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby) steals a deadly bio-weapon from eco-terrorist Brixton (Idris Elba), she’s framed as a traitor and forced to go on the run. To find her, a CIA black-ops division enlist the help of DSS tracker Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), and Hattie’s estranged brother and ex-MI6 agent, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), neither of whom are thrilled at the prospect of working together again.

Review:

Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) are arguably the two most popular “new” characters in the Fast & Furious franchise (Hobbs appearing in the fifth film, and Shaw only appearing at the very end of the sixth). They proved so popular that Hobbs was effectively promoted to the main star in the eighth instalment (Fast & Furious 8), and Shaw had his entire backstory retconned, so that instead of being a rogue-agent-turned-mercenary, he was revealed to have been framed and to actually have a baby-saving heart-of-gold. (Although neither Fast & Furious 8 nor this film adequately address the fact that he straight-up murdered Han at the end of Furious 6, and he was (at the very least) in league with murderous terrorists in Fast & Furious 7).

But this isn’t a franchise to get too bogged down in little details like that, and I’m sure at some stage in the series, they’ll find a way to retcon Shaw’s background further and explain away those deaths (although, in fairness, there is a line in Hobbs & Shaw where he refers to having done things that he needs to make amends for). Equally, this isn’t a series that relies on a complicated plot to move things along – after the initial set up, the film is essentially one long chase sequence (but hey, if it’s good enough for The Terminator, it’s good enough for Hobbs & Shaw). Instead, this is a film that focuses all of its energy into achieving its main goal – delivering the most popcorn-y popcorn film of all time. And assessed on that basis, Hobbs & Shaw is a hugely enjoyable success.

“…plays like an action-comedy, in the vein of classics like ‘Beverly Hills Cop’…”

Whereas the recent Fast & Furious films have been fairly ridiculous (in the last film, they fought a nuclear submarine, for goodness sake!), they’ve always been played with a fairly straight face. On the other hand, Hobbs & Shaw, the first spin-off in the franchise to move away from the main series, has truly embraced its comedic side, and plays like an actual action-comedy, in the vein of classics like Beverly Hills Cop. Yes, it’s jammed packed full of action, but it’s all done with a big smile on its face.

Right from the off, Hobbs & Shaw is full of laugh out loud moments, including the best comedic use since X-Men: First Class of the one F-bomb you’re allowed in a PG-13/12A. There are even some comedy disguises at one point – what more could you ask for? What’s great about the comedy is that is all flows from the chemistry between Johnson and Statham, who are not only action stars, but also have surprisingly good comedic skills (just look at Statham in Spy, or Johnson in Get Smart, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Baywatch). This means that neither one of them has to play the straight-man to the other’s comedian – instead they both get their fair share of the laughs, and neither character is the butt of the film's humour.

“…Vanessa Kirby’s more than just a love interest or a damsel in distress…”

Although Johnson and Statham carry the film, they’re ably supported by some new additions to the cast. Vanessa Kirby, who made a real impression in her blockbuster debut in Mission: Impossible – Fallout last year, is the third co-lead in Hobbs & Shaw, and gets a surprising amount to do, both in terms of the plot and the action. She can hold her own in the fight scenes, and proves herself to be just as capable as (and arguably, more professional and efficient than) the boys. She’s more than just a love interest or a damsel in distress, and she’s the genuine third member of the team. Which at least goes some way to make up for the fact that she’s effectively the only female character in the film, as Eiza Gonzalez is criminally underused and has essentially nothing more than a one-scene cameo (leaving me to wonder if more of her material was cut out?).

Speaking of cameos, I won’t spoil them, but there are two or three great comedy cameos that they managed to keep secret, and which are used to great comedic effect. But don’t expect any cameos from the main Fast & Furious cast, as this spin-off is clearly setting up its own mythology and plot threads for future exploration. The villain of the film, Brixton (Idris Elba), is essentially just a mid-level operative in the eco-terrorist organisation Eteon – albeit an operative who’s also a cybernetically enhanced, ex-black ops soldier. Elba does a lot with what he’s given to work with, and adds some meat to the bone on what could otherwise have been a fairly forgettable villain. I mean, all the characters in the film are painted in fairly broad strokes, but Elba adds some pathos and personality to Brixton amid the carnage.

“…delivers exactly the over-the-top action & mis-matched comedy that you hoped for…”

Behind the camera, director David Leitch (who co-directed the first John Wick, before directing Atomic Blonde and Deadpool 2) knows how to film an entertaining fight scene, and the action sequences in this film never get repetitive or confusing as he always manages to bring some visual interest to the proceedings. The finale of the film even evokes an old school A-Team type of vibe. The script was written by Fast & Furious veteran Chris Morgan, and Drew Pierce, who co-wrote Iron Man 3 (among other things) and who brings a similar sense of humour to Hobbs & Shaw.­

All in all, Hobbs & Shaw delivers exactly the over-the-top action and mis-matched comedy that viewers will have been hoping for when the spin-off was first announced. If you enjoyed the scenes that Johnson and Statham shared in Fast & Furious 8 (which were certainly one of that film’s highlights), this will not disappoint. And as well as appealing to fans of the Fast & Furious franchise, Hobbs & Shaw also works as a standalone film and a perfect jumping-on point for new viewers, who don’t need to know any of the characters’ backstories to enjoy this rip-roaring action comedy.