Review: Fast Five

Justin Lin, 2011
 
I used to watch films that would provide some kind of intellectual stimulation. I used to watch films that didn't rely on a pounding soundtrack, guns, violence, parkour and fast cars. I would watch films that could challenge me, and really make me think.

I have always believed that a constant maintenance of an open mind is the key to wisdom. That is to say, I usually watch a film irrespective of genre, director, star, studio or franchise. Some of my favourite films are those which I discovered while watching television late at night. If I am lucky enough to be in front of a television when a film of which I know very little, or preferentially absolutely nothing about, happens to start, it is like a gift. This kind of open-minded attitude and spontaneity has been of absolute benefit. If it were not for maintaining such an attitude I would not have discovered David Lynch.

That is not to say that I am a snob when it comes to film. At least I don't think I am. I am not the kind of person who will only watch films of the very highest intellectual calibre. Some of my favourite films are blockbusters, and I have no qualm in admitting that particularly intellectual films and high-brow art-house features can prove intimidating, although that is not to say that I do not try. Hence, keeping an open and optimistic mind.

However, when I find myself watching Fast Five, I cannot help but think of all the other things I could donate two hours of my life to. Better things, like watching the type of film which I would happily recommend to anyone whom I think may appreciate it. I could be watching a film which benefit me in the way that only a certain type of film can. However, I am making a contradiction: If it were not for maintaining an open-minded attitude to film I would not have somehow came up with the idea of watching all of the Fast and the Furious films. I do not want to become the type of person who judges a film before watching it. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that I am the type of person that wants to have watched more films than anyone else, to have read more books, to have experienced more events, to literally know as much as possible about as much as possible. I have no idea why, this is just how I feel. For some reason I decided to spend my leisure time watching major blockbuster action franchises of the past decade. In some way, this is of benefit, in that I will never have to watch any of these films again.

I had no interest in the plot of this film whatsoever. Some criminals want to steal a lot of money from some other criminals. We as the audience are supposed to like these people? We are supposed to sympathise with these people and feel impressed with their ability to drive cars faster than anybody else, their confidence in using guns, their cocky attitudes? I just don't get it. I finished watching the film five minutes ago and I am struggling to remember what it was about. What is the audience supposed to take away from this film? Because, all I am taking from this film, and all the other films within this franchise, is that some people drove some fast cars around a city really fast and outsmarted everybody else by doing so. Time is the most precious commodity, and I am not going to waste mine any further.

1/10