The Best One Yet... "Fast Five"

What a Rush!

The Story:

After O'Conner (Paul Walker) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) break Dom (Vin Diesel) from the clutches of the man, they hightail it to Rio.  Needing to make some money, they attempt to swipe some cars from the DEA.  Whoops.  Turns out one of those cars belongs to the Kingpin of all Rio (Joaquim de Almeida) and he wants his car back.  Since escaping justice is a bad thing, the United States sends the biggest, baddest agent, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) to Rio to find the boys.  The guys decide to go for one last score, and then disappear forever.  To do that, they're going to need some help.  And who better to help than everyone that was in the first 4 movies?

Yes indeed, they bring them back: Roman and Tej (Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris from 2 Fast), Han (Sung Kang from Tokyo Drift)... but didn't he die?  They never do explain this one.  Glad he's back though.  I've heard rumors that Tokyo Drift is supposed to take place after everything that happens in these films.  Meh... I'll just assume Han got out alive. : )

Justin Lin puts his stamp on the franchise with the biggest, loudest, and best part of the franchise to date.

Bringing back all of the components from each of the films is a clever and welcome touch.  Gives plenty of screen time to catch up on the characters and see how they've changed, or not changed over the years.

After all, this marked a decade of franchise-ability for The Fast and the Furious.  I don't think it was their intention to make a tent pole franchise when they started, but they have one now.  And this one actually unfolds as if they had been plotting it this way since the very beginning.

That's pretty impressive for a movie about street racing.

Oh, and kids, don't try street racing at home!

The Rock and Diesel squaring off makes for an energetic fight sequence in the middle of the movie.

I will also go on record that the final car chase sequence is most likely my favorite car chase in this franchise, or in just about any other movie for that matter.

This one transcends the other films in the franchise by adding the heist element, and as I've gone on record many times, I love me a good heist flick!

And stick around after the credits as they set up the sequel for Part 6...in theaters NOW!

Final Grade: A-

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Infinite.  Really enjoyed watching this one again.  Impossible not to enjoy this film.