Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
Ratings: 2/5
Duration: 2hrs 16 mins
Director: David Leitch
Genre: Mystery, Action
Release Date: 02.08.2019 (India)
Star cast: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Vanessa Kirby, Idris Alba
Plot: This film is a spin-off of the "Fast and Furious" mega-franchise and at its core, it is an old-fashioned buddy comedy with all the trappings of the series.
Review: Hobbs & Shaw is the sort of movie in which the plot takes a backseat. Though the chemistry of the heroes is intact, director David Leitch is clearly in two minds about the tone he wants. Confused about whether to embrace the cartoonish action that has been driving the Fast & Furious franchise of late or to pitch Hobbs & Shaw more as a buddy comedy along the lines of the Jump Street movies, Leitch manages to do neither. Hobbs & Shaw is, remarkably, the first film in Leitch’s career that feels compromised; not to meet the standards of an established franchise.
This is rather unfortunate, because with only a handful of movies under his belt, Leitch has displayed an instantly recognizable style - a rarity in this age of committee-driven studio filmmaking. While there are more than a few moments of genuine humour - thanks mostly to a couple of unexpected cameos and the action is certainly more refined than it ever has been in this series.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Jason Statham work wonders, but Vanessa Kirby steals the show with casual lethality. As the film’s attention mostly falls on this lead trio, Idris Elba relishes the squeezed time he has on screen, bringing entertaining swagger to an otherwise one-note character.
This latest Fast and Furious franchise gives us a fair bit of gonzo action, a hair-raising London chase scene, some transatlantic alpha-male squabbling, a cheerfully silly plot MacGuffin – and for the first two thirds the whole thing hums like a hi-tech top. The movie is a bit overextended, and the action runs out of steam in the final battle, but it delivers some bangs and laughs for your buck.
The narrative gets giddy and goofy in spots. The family theme is both overplayed and underdeveloped, making the sub-plots appear blunt and forced. Hence there are no real emotional stakes.
Johnson and Statham are charismatic and entertaining in their own way. They both seem to be in a comfort zone, and they appear to be walking through their roles. Nevertheless, their strong on-screen chemistry is palpable. Overall, the film despite being high on action, enjoyable and engaging, the film appears absurd and fails to connect emotionally.
