By Anna Husted EBS FILM CRITIC
The number of outfit changes in “Fast & Furious
Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” almost exceeds the amount of ball-busting banter
thrown between Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham). Not
only was this movie hilarious in the mutual defamation tossed between Hobbs and
Shaw, but it also exceeded my expectations in comedy and action.
Our two heroes hate each other but are the only people in
the world who can save it from a deadly virus stolen by Shaw’s sister Hattie
(an outstanding Vanessa Kirby) so the bad guys, a Terminator-type Brixton
(Edris Elba) and an off-screen supervillain named Etheon, can be foiled. The
only way Hattie could keep the virus out of Brixton’s hands was to inject it
into her own arm. Now the dynamic duo has only 72 hours to extract the virus
from Hattie’s veins before it kills her—but they must do so while also avoiding
Brixton and his cronies.
Unsurprisingly, the movie’s plot requires the implausible: flying
to the U.K., Russia and Samoa, which cannot be done in 72 hours, but minor plot
holes matter little when the action and insults are the best part of the movie.
“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” utilizes a
split screen multiple times to convey comedy through action, as the contrasting
behaviors of the protagonists, seen at the same time, are among the funniest
parts of the movie; In the opening sequence Hobbs is seen chewing coffee
grounds for breakfast while Shaw simultaneously makes himself an espresso. In
yet another scene, Hobbs chooses to jump out of a building to catch the
repelling villain while Shaw takes the elevator and beats them both to the
bottom. This continual use of split screen creates comedy gold.
Now, the juicy action, what we come to expect in any Johnson
or Statham film. Without giving too much away, the car chase scene in Britain
gives “Baby Driver” a run for its money. Shot in a hand-held camera style, this
car chase scene pays homage to “The French Connection” and gives literal
reference to “The Italian Job”—is Shaw also Handsome Rob? I believe he is.
There is also no way these two beef cakes could fit into a McLaren, but the
illusion works because this film is just not based in reality.
Another comedic motif throughout the film is each
character’s mutual love for fashion that far exceeds that of the female lead’s,
a role reversal you don’t often see. These male characters change clothes so
often it makes no sense that they only have carry-ons on their various flights.
Charming plot holes abound. Fashion paired with the film’s clarity in action
choreography makes for a sleek and fun look.
“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” does a great
job of showing the in-between scenes. The scenes that do not have action or
plot points are the funniest because they are full of clever insults and famous
cameos. At one point Hobbs and Shaw are tortured for information and even then
they hate each other more than they hate Brixton because there is nothing worse
than being tortured, except being tortured next to your greatest frenemy.
As absurd as “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”
is, I could watch this film for the rest of my life and die happy. It’s clever,
action-packed, and satisfying imbued with 21st Century action.
“Fast & Furious
Presents: Hobbs & Shaw” is now playing in theaters.
Anna Husted has a
master’s in film studies from New York University. In Big Sky she can be found hiking
a mountain or at the movies at Lone Peak Cinema. When not gazing at the silver
screen or watching her new favorite TV show, she’s reading, fishing or
roughhousing with her cat, Indiana Jones.
