[h2]9. Fast & Furious 6[/h2]
In terms of sheer entertainment value, it is hard to find a single film this year that delivers more effectively than Justin Lin’s Fast & Furious 6. Not that this should be any sort of surprise at this point – 2011’s Fast Five made it clear that against all odds, this series has stealthily matured into one of the very best action blockbuster franchises out there, and Furious 6 is another clear step forward. The film’s most pleasant surprise may lie in how effectively it is able to build upon everything that has come before, remaining perfectly open and welcome to newcomers while offering long-time fans of the franchise plenty of satisfying pay-offs and character resolutions that go well beyond mere ‘callbacks.’ Were it not for that final, zany, mid-credits throwing of the gauntlet, Furious 6 could very well be the franchise’s final installment, and it would feel not only like an immensely satisfying finale, but an emotionally earned one as well. Every member of this cast has come to inhabit their fun (if intentionally simple) characters completely, and the chemistry between them all is, at this point, off the charts, something Lin exploits to great effect throughout.
Moreover, Furious 6 is simply a tremendous action movie, one of the absolute best of the decade so far, with a concluding set piece that is certifiably insane in its ambition, design, and stirring execution. When it comes to pure entertainment – energetic, engaging, and filled with more adrenaline that the human body should be capable of processing – very few ongoing film series, if any, do it better, and Furious 6 is a stunningly crafted, unexpectedly poignant, and above all else, ridiculously fun monument to this truth.
Read my full review here.
Fast & Furious 6 is now playing in theatres everywhere.
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