F9: THE FAST SAGA

 Vin Diesel     Michelle Rodriguez     Jordana Brewster     Tyrese Gibson     Ludacris

Nathalie Emmanuel     Thue Ersted Rasmussen     Helen Mirren     Kurt Russell

 

If car racing, heists, and spying—with all the special effects that one can think of—is your thing, and you don’t mind absurdity, then F9 is the movie for you.  This is the 10^th full-length version of the theme since it first appeared in 2001.  Another theme puts great emphasis on family, a motif repeated across the series, with the star Vin Diesel as Dominic always implying that family is sacred and of the utmost importance.  (“Family” includes all the people one is close to as well as those biologically related.)  The problem in this newest iteration is that Dominic’s estranged brother Jakob (Cena) has suddenly appeared on the scene. 

Jakob is clearly less principled than Dom, and is easily drawn in by nefarious schemes, this time with Otto (Rasmussen), with whom he plans on getting his hands on an object that will allow him and Otto to rule the world.  They have captured Dom’s nemesis Cipher (Theron) and put her in a glass box so she can assist them, but she shows only disdain for Jakob.

The movie will take us on a world tour (London, Tokyo, Central America, Edinburgh, Azerbaijan, Tbilisi in Georgia, even outer space) as a way I presume of making the story more exciting.

The biggest problem with the movie as I see it is that practically all of it takes place on streets in big cities with cars and people getting hit and scattered every which way, punctuated with fist fight free-for-alls.  A little dialogue will transpire, but soon it’s back to car chases and fist fights.  It is a tiny bit to their credit in my book that the women are just as ferocious and active as the men; not one hesitates to blast with a gun, her body, or fist…AND with a computer.

All of the movies in the franchise have been big box office draws, although critics tend to be much less enthusiastic.  That has to do with the numerous implausibilities (e.g., cars being shot out over large bodies of water and an actual trip into space) and contradictions (characters seemingly rising from the dead) replete in the series.  But promoters of the film advise viewers just to sit back, suspend realistic considerations, and just enjoy the movie with your popcorn.

Director Justin Lin—who has previously directed three Fast films—is also scheduled to direct the final(?) two adventures.  He knows exactly how to please enthusiastic fans of the franchise, helped along by the special effects crew, cinematographer Stephen F. Windon, and composer Brian Tyler.  

 

F9 remains true to the franchise in its daring thrills and main characters, with the cast cast headed by Vin Diesel as usual.

 

Grade:  C-                             By Donna R. Copeland

SHOW DOGS

Will Arnett     Natasha Lyonne     Omar Chaparro     Andy Beckwith

Voices of:  Ludacris     Alan Cumming     Stanley Tucci     Jordin Sparks     Shaquille O’Neal     Gabriel Iglesias

     Show Dogs, directed by Raja Gosnell and written by Max Botkin and Marc Hyman, is one of the rare animated films that will appeal to children and adults equally.  There is a little pandering to adults in the romantic theme, and to children in a fart joke; but for the most part, the film models good messages about the importance of friends and family and respect for individual and cultural differences.  

     Max (voice of Ludacris) prides himself on being a police dog who is street-wise and disdainful of offers to be his back-up by his feathered admirers whose motto is, “Birds of a feather fight crime together.”  He takes pride in his abilities, and enjoys elite status in the New York Police Department. But he is suspicious when an FBI agent, Frank (Arnett) appears on the scene to solve an animal trafficking problem.  It seems that a baby panda has been taken from his mother, and Max makes a promise when he gets a glimpse of the child that HE will return him to his mother.  But when Max is ordered to partner up with the FBI agent to investigate the crime, still in the planning stages at a dog show, he continually tests Frank’s capabilities, giving him more than a few nips. Frank is just as unhappy as Max, and clearly knows nothing about dogs.

     When he seeks out an expert in Animal Control, Mattie (Lyonne), she realizes right away that Frank (who has lost Max) is clueless about dogs; but she is a patient and kind person, so tries to help him. 

What follows is a combination of a thriller (finding the perps), comedy about poor Max having to become an “undercover” show dog, and gratification for dog lovers who get to see all the breeds primping up for and competing for the prize of Best in Show.  

     Creativity abounds in this unusual pairing of a thriller within a dog show that is animated and also a comedy.  Beyond that, it is more than simply entertaining; it has truths about our world and current issues we’re grappling with. Heitor Pereira’s music enhances and offers further entertainment in its puns, and David Mackie’s cinematography meets every challenge with artistry and skill.  

An animated film like few others, offering thrills, chuckles, and truths to live by.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland