To paraphrase a Blazing Saddles quote, “Physics! We don’t need no stinking physics!” And so, the fun summer movie, Hobbs and Shaw, entertains us just like its cousins, the Fast and Furious gang. Beautiful cars, fantastic chases, unlikely fight scenes, Samoa, and a female with the sass to match Hobbs and Shaw, what more could you want. Yes, the dialogue is a little thin, Ryan Reynolds, Rob Delaney, and Kevin Hart are filler, and the banter predictable, but the audience has fun. The stunts are just crazy! I give the movie 4 Gavels and it receives a 71% Rotten Tomatoes rating with an early 94% Audience Score.
Plot
An MI6 agent, Hattie Shaw, is forced to inject a virus under her skin to keep it away from the terrorist organization, Eteon. Their secret weapon is Brixton Lore, formerly thought killed by Deckard Shaw, now with cybernetic implants. He refers to himself as the “Black Superman.” Deckard and Luke Hobbs must combine efforts in an attempt to retrieve the deadly virus, save Hattie, and defeat Brixton. But, they hate each other. Just when, where, and how often will the “we are family” message of the Fast and Furious franchise raise its head?
Actors
Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham are Hobbs and Shaw. Both are Type A personalities, who don’t share well. At times, the conflict clicks; other times it falls flat. Idris Elba, as Brixton, ramps up his tortured bad-guy image, much the opposite of the his recent romp in Turn Up Charlie. Best of all, though, is Vanessa Kirby, the take-no-crap MI6 agent, Hattie Shaw. She gives better than she gets. Its no surprise that she “attracts” Hobbs’ attention, much to the chagrin of brother, Deckard. For good measure, Helen Mirren makes a brief appearance as mother Shaw.
Final Thoughts
With a budget of $200 million, Hobbs and Shaw expects to gross $60-70 million this weekend domestically, plus another $125 million worldwide. That’s pretty good considering it doesn’t open in China until the end of this month. The producers, including Johnson and Statham, clearly expect it to do well. Stay for the credits for the sequel setup. The franchise beat goes on. The helicopter scene in Samoa is worth the price of admission. More likely though, fans will replicate the insults that fly “fast and furious” from the mouths of Hobbs and Shaw, virtually non-stop. If your weekend choice is between Once Upon a Time In Hollywood and Hobbs and Shaw, this one should get your entertainment dollar.
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