FF Presents: Hobbs & Shaw – Movie Reviews by Ry!

FF Presents: Hobbs & Shaw – Buddying up for Action Beyond Logic

The Fast and Furious franchisee has brought us many fun adventures.  From street racing to espionage, this is a franchise that has continued to evolve.  With this next iteration/spin-off, it drives a wedge into the ideas of logic and physics of an action film.  By going further, we have a film that knows what the audience wants and delivers.  Hobbs & Shaw might have plenty of issues, but it is one fun ride. 

The story focuses on the titular characters, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) as they work together to keep a deadly virus away from a cybernetically enhanced villain, Brixton (Idris Elba).  This ‘save the world’ basic plot is directed within a mixture of ridiculous car chase scenes, bombastic action and insane destruction.  Every cliché, archetype or story element from an action film in the last 20 years is reused in this one journey.  On the surface, this can dull the senses of enjoyment.  What happens is a dance of mediocre exposition and hilarity of a buddy cop like team up.  What makes it watchable are the lead actors, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.  Their natural charisma and physical presence make them astute against the trivial mayhem.  It is Hobbs and Shaw that drive the unpredictable nature of a typical action film, creating folly and entertainment out of cheesy dialogue.  Even when flaws are obvious, you enjoy seeing what they will say or do. 

With them, they provide a good compliment to the villain, Brixton.  Idris Elba does a fantastic job with the common archetype, putting his own spin through overt monologues and stylistic impressions.  As the film progresses through its maniac like set pieces, there is a self-aware like nature to the obvious.  Even when things are mind-numbing, it is all within the satirical nature of the journey.  As the film reaches its climax, it is everything you expect with a touch of ingenious fight scenes and clever one-liners from the leads.  Hobbs & Shaw is everything you expect in a film of its nature.  There isn’t anything new, but it is ok to turn off logic and watch craze action take over.  If you’re a fan of the series or these two actors, I say check it out on the big screen.  Overall, it is worth seeing as a matinee.

Full Score – 3.5 out of 5 (Matinee)