Fast and Furious 6 DVD review

The number 6 is never usually a reassuring sight in cinema. It harks back to memories of Police Academy 6 and the signature sight of 666 on Damien’s scalp in The Omen. But surprisingly, Fast and Furious 6 has proved that it has more horsepower than ever. 

Fast and Furious 6 is sillier than before, bigger than before but even more enjoyable than before. Walker’s Brian becomes a father and Diesel’s Dom tells him his life has to change. Which of course is absolute nonsense, he’s soon back on the streets revving and racing like the good old days with his new bride’s doe-eyed blessing. The crew which we’ve become greatly familiar with by now has been recruited by Luke Hobbs, a special agent, who was their adversary in Fast Five. Hobbs is played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who is about the same size as a tank, and every time he’s on screen, he completely overwhelms it.

The film takes us from London to Spain to Los Angeles as the gang try to track down and stop Owen Shaw, an ex-special forces soldier played with an ineffable creepiness by Luke Evans. His gang includes Letty, the thought dead former love interest of Dom, who is seemingly suffering from amnesia. Fast and Furious is perhaps the only action franchise that possesses any hint of gender equality as the ladies are allowed to mix it up as much as the boys here. Letty has some great battles with Hobbs’ parter Riley (played by real life MMA fighter turned actor, Gina Carano) and some of the best dialogue also.

It’s no secret Rodriguez is type cast as a tough girl with an attitude but she does it so convincingly and is more than a match for any of the men. Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, despite their clear limitations as actors remain engaging presences, and for an action movie franchise that has spread across six films, that’s something.

Sam Moore