2019 | Dir. David Leitch | 136 Minutes
"The fate of the world is in your hands and you still can't get along."
A shadowy organization attempts to steal a technologically advanced virus but is thwarted by an MI6 agent after she injects herself with the bio-weapon and evades capture. Recruited by the CIA for their unmatched skills, DSS Agent Luke Hobbs and the rogue assassin Deckard Shaw must set aside their differences and face their personal demons in order to retrieve the virus and save the world.
Pairing up erstwhile Fast & Furious antagonists Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw for their very own feature film should be an exciting proposition, but it turns out the two absurdly macho tough guys, who were the very best thing about The Fate of the Furious, struggle to carry a movie on their own when separated from the muscle-headed earnestness of the core franchise. The opening sequence that walks through their opposing action hero styles and the put-downs they exchange early on are entertaining enough, but the writing wears thinner and the humor lands flatter with every passing minute despite dedicated performances from the leads and the too-good-for-this-movie supporting cast. This spin-off only seems interested in strictly following the bullet points of what made its titular heroes appealing in past installments, which is most logical from a business standpoint, but the brain trust behind this often off-beat action series could have colored outside the lines even just a little for this side story and it would still be a profitable product given the star power at its disposal. Even the series' running theme of family feels like a clumsy obligation as featured in this picture.
Director David Leitch's experience in staging over-the-top action set pieces serves this film well, particularly in sequences featuring the cybernetically enhanced Brixton and his high-tech motorbike. However, while the set-ups are great, the CGI-heavy vehicular mayhem only offers cheap weightless thrills as per the unfortunate standard of latter-day Fast & Furious movies. There are a smattering of amusing moments during the London chase scene, the escape from the Ukrainian lab, and the climatic multiple tow truck versus chopper battle in Samoa, but they are hardly awe-inspiring. At best these bits are good for a chuckle, at worst they are empty spectacle that completely withdraws any suspension of disbelief.
Substandard script be damned, Dwayne Johnson's natural charisma goes a long way and Jason Statham is afforded plenty of opportunities to show off his martial arts skills. Their quippy chemistry is generally pretty good but it's rather monotonous in long stretches. As self-proclaimed bad guy Brixton Lore, Idris Elba appears to be having the time of his life, making the most of the woefully underdeveloped antagonist. Vanessa Kirby is very convincing in the role of courageous ass-kicking MI6 operative Hattie Shaw. Hobbs & Shaw also features Helen Mirren reprising the part of Queenie Shaw, Eddie Marsan as Professor Andreiko, Eiza Gonzalez as master thief Madam M, Cliff Curtis and wrestling superstar Roman Reigns as Hobbs' brothers, Eliana Sua as Hobbs' daughter Sam, and Lori Pelenise Tuisano as Hobbs' mother.
Megastar leads and a fantastic supporting cast don't quite elevate this Fast & Furious spin-off above the typical flaws of an average summer blockbuster. Given the talent involved, Hobbs & Shaw is a disappointingly disposable action romp that perhaps could have much more satisfying had the filmmakers taken more risks instead of settling on simply playing the hits.
MID-CREDITS STINGERS
- The Shaws visit their mother.
- Hobbs takes his daughter to see her grandmother.
- Hobbs receives a phone call from his old partner Locke.
- Shaw receives payback from Hobbs for prior humiliation.
POST-CREDITS STINGER
- Locke discovers it is surprisingly easy to stab a man with a brick.
FRAGMENTS
- The series' tradition of unconventional titles carries on for this spin-off; while often referred to as simply Hobbs & Shaw, the full official title of the film is the humorously clunky Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
- In Japan, the title for this film is Wild Speed: Super Combo
- Ryan Reynolds, Rob Delaney, and Kevin Hart make uncredited cameo appearances as CIA Agents Locke and Loeb, and Air Marshal Dinkley respectively
- Ryan Reynolds, Rob Delaney, and Eddie Marsan previously appeared together in director David Leitch's Deadpool 2
- This is the third film featuring Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart following Central Intelligence and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
SUPPLEMENTAL STUFF
- Podcast: How Did This Get Made? Episode #220: Hobbs & Shaw: LIVE! (w/ Adam Scott, Nicole Byer)
MCU CONNECTIONS
- Idris Elba (Heimdall in Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Infinity War, and Thor: Love and Thunder)
