Fast Five, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker

It's hard to believe but The Fast and Furious has been around for a decade now. When the first film dropped in 2001, nobody expected it to do much. Sure the import car scene was hip and underground, but that didn't necessarily lend itself to big box office numbers. Didn't help that the mostly unproven Vin Diesel was the most recognizable face.Out of nowhere, it grossed over $200M and the three previous sequels have been leaving competitors choking on exhaust ever since.  Fast Five represents something of a shift in gears, a change in focus away from the hot car scene and into The Italian Job heist territory. But don't you worry. There's still plenty of car crashes, hot chicks in improbably short skirts, big muscled dudes gritting their teeth through illegal races...oh, and did I mention The Rock is along for the ride? The summer season is here folks, and Fast Five is the perfect way to kick it off in style.

Before you dismiss Fast Five as just another brainless macho fest, know that regular screenwriter Chris Morgan has whipped up surprisingly smart script this time around. Smart in that it's economical, represents the characters we've all known for years very well, and is cool as hell when it needs to be. Nobody's going to be giving any grand speeches, but a snarky quip as you leave them in a trail of smoke is always appreciated. Shakespeare is not needed to be effective.

Picking up literally seconds from the end of 2009's Fast & Furious, Brian(Paul Walker) and his crew are involved in a jailbreak of their big bald buddy boss, Dom Toretto(Vin Diesel). Leaving no prison bus unturned, the gang escapes to beautiful landscape of Rio de Janiero. You'll know because director Justin Lin, not a particularly inventive director but good with the ultra violence, will take you over the Christ the Redeemer statue at least three times. But freedom is never exactly on the menu for Brian, Dom, or his sister Mia(Jordana Brewster). A prison break of that magnitude has put them all squarely in the sites of Luke Hobbs(Dwayne Johnson), an impenetrable, invincible DSS agent who always gets his man. Hurtin' for cash, the gang takes a job jackin' a few slick rides, but the gig goes south quick, drawing heat from Herman Reyes, a corrupt businessman and trafficker who pretty much owns the Brazilian police. With Reyes' men hot on their tail, Dom pulls together a very special crew to take the fight to him.

Fans who have stayed loyal to the series from the beginning will hoot with excitement over the team Dom brings together. Roman Pearce(Tyrese Gibson) and Tej(Ludacris) from 2 Fast 2 Furious add invaluable comic relief; Han Lue(Sung Kang) from Fast & Furious and Tokyo Drift is as laid back cool as ever. Gisele Harabo(the sexy Gal Gadot) along with a few other characters from the last film make the jump over to fill out the rest of Dom's Eleven.  Y'know how the best part of GI Joe was always the role call of team members? Well imagine that, only much much better. We wouldn't have stuck around this long if we didn't give a lick about the central characters. Dom's strong, silent approach, masking his fierce loyalty and protective nature. Say what you will about Vin Diesel, but the guy is perfect for certain types of characters. Brian is still something of a wild card. His transformation from heroic cop to wanted felon has had a few bumps, but Paul Walker is solid in the role. The women in the film aren't given much to do but look good, with the exception of Jordan Brewster's Mia, who has taken on a sortof matronly role.

With so many movies already in the rear view mirror, quality has naturally swung up and down, but the addition of Johnson to the cast has come with remarkably high expectations. Both fans and casual observers have been salivating over the thought of the "Brahma Bull" and Diesel going toe-to-toe. Thankfully we are not disappointed as the two erupt in a vicious 5 minute brawl so thick with testosterone and adrenaline it could fuel the next three or four flicks alone. It's nothing compared to the film's one major set piece, a nearly 15 minute chase through the heart of Rio that is as heart stopping a chase sequence as you'll ever see. All you need to know is that it involves a bank vault, Michael Bay levels of property damage, and a nifty little twist to keep you on your toes. Fast Five is a surprisingly well structured film. It's all about the stakes, and you can't help but feel how high they are for every character involved.

The next two F&F flicks are already in motion, meaning the adventures of Dom, Brian, and Mia is far from over. The fourth sequel in any franchise isn't supposed to be this good, but there are so many new elements introduced with so much value that they can probably speed along for years on sheer momentum. If the jaw dropping post-credits shocker is any indication that's exactly what we're going to get, so be sure to stay in your seats after the show's over. Fast Five isn't just for car enthusiasts anymore, it's simply the best of the series yet. Yes, better than my beloved Tokyo Drift.

Trav's Tip: Oh how confusing those Fast and the Furious movies have become! Even though this is the fifth film in the series, Fast Five is chronologically the fourth in the storyline. Tokyo Drift, which starred Lucas Black and Bow Wow, takes place at the end of the line.