"This time there is no team." This is Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. This action film directed by David Leitch and written by Chris Morgan and Drew Pearce. It is a spin-off of The Fast & the Furious franchise. Ever since Hobbs and Shaw first faced off in Furious 7 (2015), the duo have swapped smack talk and body blows as they’ve tried to take each other down. But when an cyber-genetically enhanced anarchist gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever — and bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent, who just happens to be Shaw’s sister — these two sworn enemies will have to partner up to bring down the only guy who might be badder than themselves.
In November 2015, series star and producer Vin Diesel first said that possible spin-offs were in early development. The idea of a spin-off featuring Hobbs and Shaw first emerged during filming of The Fate of the Furious (2017), after producers and studios execs took note of the comedic chemistry between the two throughout their scenes together. Plans to actually develop the spin-off were informally green-lit towards the end of filming. In October 2017, Universal Pictures officially announced the spin-off film. In addition, the film was set a with a July 26, 2019 release date, which would ultimately be moved to August 2, 2019, with Chris Morgan returning to write the script. Shane Black was being considered to direct the film before Leitch was confirmed in April 2018. By early September, Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza González, Eddie Marsan, Cliff Curtis, and Helen Mirren rounded out the cast. At the same time, principal photography began and wrapped in late January 2019. Filming took place in London, Glasgow and Kaua'i. This is the first Fast & the Furious chapter to be shot with anamorphic lenses unlike the previous eight films which were shot primarily in the Super 35 format on film and digital. In May 2019, it was announced that Tyler Bates would compose the film's score.
The film stars Johnson, Statham, Elba, Kirby, González, Marsan, Curtis, and Mirren. Despite the oozing star quality, in particular Johnson and Statham, the cast struggle to rise above the limitations of the nonsensical script. Johnson and Statham are far more appealing when they're playing more charming and loveable characters, as they did so winningly in Moana (2016) and Spy (2015). Their antagonism and manly abilities make for an unlikely duo, and we are supposed to feel this. Instead, we're feeling something else for having to sit through this silly movie.
Johnson and Statham inhabit their roles with earnest gusto, but Hobbs & Shaw's tone-deaf script is too self-deprecating and bereft of intelligent dialogue to provide real engaging thrills. The film plays like a collision between leftover bits and pieces of the Fast & the Furious stories. It can't decide what tone to strike. The film proves no more than fitfully satisfying, a character-driven action yarn whose flurry of lazy writing shows in a disjointed plot.
Simon says Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw receives:
Also, see my reviews for Atomic Blonde and The Fate of the Furious.
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