GRAPHIC BY DEVYN KELLY By ALEX CASTRO
STAFF WRITER
In this film franchise, family means everything.
On Aug. 2, the Fast and Furious franchise premiered its newest spin-off to the series, Hobbs and Shaw. The motion-picture is a widely enjoyable thrill from start to finish that combines genuine acting and cleverly crafted suspense, creating an almost surreal experience for audiences worldwide.
Both Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) have been seen on the big screen together before in one of the receding films, The Fate Of The Furious, giving fans a taste of their impeccable on-screen dynamic. In the movie, the two respective actors must team up and learn to work together to stop the cyber enhanced terrorist Brixton Lore (Idris Ilba).
Rather than sticking to over dramatic scenes, the film uses a wide range of suspense techniques that keep the audience on the edge of their seats. More importantly, it uses both situational and emotional suspense in order to avoid the reuse of both plot and suspense tools.
For example, instead of the constant action and hair-raising thrills fans may be used to, Hobbs and Shaw incorporates suspenseful scenes to expand and highlight the plot without taking away from the events in the film. One instance of this is when the characters learn of the growing threat that is Brixton. Without the use of action or stunts, the movie maintains the growing suspense even in a more serious scene.
Hobbs and Shaw stands for itself and does not require the audience to have watched any of the earlier installments. Moreover, one of the ways that this movie sets itself apart is in its natural fluidity between scenes. Hobbs and Shaw utilizes an expostional technique which complements the stand alone status of the film which makes for a more enjoyable viewing experience. For example, instead of being exposition-heavy and giving viewers a lot of information at one time, the film is able to introduce any characters, relationships or events without depending on providing accurate canonical background or explanations.
In addition, the Fast and Furious franchise is a large and expansive film series that have currently spanned a grand total of seven films, which contain a central cast of characters and a complex ongoing story. Through the production of Hobbs and Shaw, Universal Pictures is able to present the audience with a contemporary style of movie-making that appeals to many.
Adding on, the film’s wholesome themes throughout the movie heavily contribute to the heartwarming tone Hobbs and Shaw provides. These messages are most prominent surrounding the scenes where Hobbs and Shaw interact with each other and their respective families.
Not to mention, the film seamlessly integrates comedy and humor into the suspense and action, rather than the juxtaposition created by other films who have the two crucial aspects separated.
For example, a large part of the plot’s comedic attributes rely on the tense relationship between the main characters. This ongoing relationship simply increases in emotional value once the two learn to work together by combining their strengths in order to become a more effective team.
Throughout the film, the characters consistently use comedic dialogue to alleviate tense situations and provide the film a comical aspect. By including humorous scenes, such as the protagonists having a heated whispering argument in an airplane or the struggle to fit Hobbs into a small seat, is an essential aspect of the film because it indicates a more genuine tone to the audience.
Furthermore, the franchise uses this new release, not only to appeal to a new realm of audience, but also innovate the action movie franchise that sets the standard for many years to come.