This reviewer went to Fast Five not expecting much, but found it surprisingly entertaining. Having deliberately avoided most of the series, it was enjoyable.

Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Jordana Brewster are all back and it opens with Walker and Brewster freeing Diesel from a prison bus in the first of many unbelievable but impressive stunts.

Soon they are all hiding out in Rio de Janiero in Brazil, and taking on the local drug lord with an ingenious plan to steal a hundred million or so of drug money, safely stored in police station.

A complication is they are being chased by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, some kind of supercop federal agent, and you know he is never going to give up.

This movie is all about big men with big muscles, swimming in testosterone, who drive muscle cars performing incredible stunts. The women are good drivers too and have an amazing tendency to wander around in tight outfits or skimpy bikinis.

The plot is completely preposterous and far-fetched, the acting wooden, but no-one cares. You don’t come to see a movie like Fast Five for anything but the cars, the stars, the girls and the non-stop action. And it delivers.

A caution; when the credits start to roll, as per normal, most of the audience left, but there’s a significant set-up for Fast Six tucked away there. One can also appreciate the short title, so much better than The Fast and the Furious 5.

Rating: three deer out of five

Next Week on Video

No Strings Attached is a decent rom-com with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher.

Alf Cryderman is a Red Deer freelance writer and old movie buff.