FILM REVIEW: Fast Five

The fifth in the series, Fast Five, just might be the recharge the franchise needed. Containing a heist of Italian Job caliber, complete with twist, scenes that would have Michael Bay's jaw drop, firefights that parallel war films, the cleverest vehicle they've ever driven furiously (*spoiler* cop cars *spoiler*), and a stellar car porn cast.

Assembling characters from all four films, it created an Ocean's Eleven-ensemble for the car theft circuit, each member providing their own expertise and charm. After you see the tech aficionado Tej (Ludacris) playfully complete with the overly confident speed demon Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and the gun-toting biker chick Gisele (Gal Gadot) verbally spar with the laid back Drift King Han (Sung Kang), you'll wonder why they didn't do this sooner. Dom's (Vin Diesel) new crew is far more impressive and entertaining than his first one ever was, making the audience leave wondering when's the next job and who'll be joining them then.

*SPOILER* At the end of the credits, we're given a behind-the-scenes look at an upcoming manhunt. It seems Agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes) has spotted a new car theft ring in Europe with a very familiar member, who's supposed to be dead. It's possible that the next film could be Dom going after Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) before Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Fuentes get to her first. Either way, I'm in.