Hobbs and Shaw Review – This Movie Increases Your Testosterone

Hobbs and Shaw Review – You will leave this film with an increased level of testosterone and a huge smile on your face

The [technically] first spinoff movie of the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, is set to explode into theaters Friday, August 2nd, 2019. The film features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham, as they reprise their characters of Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw. Hobbs and Shaw reluctantly team up to help Shaw’s sister Hattie, brilliantly portrayed by Vanessa Kirby, save the world from Eteon and their cybernetically enhanced super-soldier Brixton, geniusly brought to life by Idris Elba.

I’m going to be blunt with my Hobbs and Shaw review, this movie is ridiculous. I say that with the utmost love and admiration. The movie is a heart-pumping adrenaline rush with a double shot of testosterone. It is big, it is fast, and it is hilarious. Johnson and Statham’s chemistry radiates in every scene. Whether if they are savagely roasting each other, teaming up in the most badass fashion, or sharing some tender moments, their presence can be felt throughout. Idris Elba commands the screen as Black Superman. And Vanessa Kirby Steals the show as the true hero of the movie.

Storywise, the film is not one I would say will be studied for its depth and impact in film classes. As a part of the Fast & Furious franchise, there is a big focus on family. We have the Shaws and we also have the Hobbs-es. There are rifts in both families that have to be closed in order to save the world. And while it isn’t what the franchise is known for, I think it was handled well enough that it was only cheesy sometimes. There were a few lines that felt a little forced, but not enough to take away from the film’s main draw: action.

Hobbs & Shaw expands on the franchise’s over-the-top action in tip-top form. The fight scenes are masterfully choreographed, making each blow from Hobbs or Shaw appear menacingly powerful. This is only enhanced with POV shots from Brixton, that display the actual Newtons of power our heroes are dealing. Of course, no movie in the franchise would be complete without some incredible vehicle sequences. Hobbs & Shaw definitely delve quite deep into the ridiculous with their vehicle scenes. It’s in the trailer so I don’t feel bad about mentioning it, but when you have a human being holding down a helicopter from the back of a tow truck, suspension of belief is at its peak. This is not to say it’s not incredible, because… well… HELL YES! That was AWESOME. I will say it is not as cool as Chris Evans doing it in Captain America: Civil War. The action is perfectly on par with the franchise and hits the sweet spot of, that’s not possible but makes perfect sense.

I really want to talk about Vanessa Kirby and feel she deserves a very special shout out. Vanessa Kirby not only held her own in this powerful dynamic cast, with two monstrous leads, she oftentimes outshined them. First, her fight choreo is easily the most intricate of all the fights. Her agility and deadly precision are perfectly captured and jump back in your seat impactful. It’s like watching a spider in 0 gravity, wild but deadly precise. Secondly, her facial reactions are INCREDIBLE. Hattie is much more action than a dialogue-oriented character. But she is still able to display immense personality in her facial expressions. Just watch her face when she and the boys get geared up and you will see for yourself. Lastly, Hattie is no damsel in distress. She saves herself and the world, Hobbs and Shaw help. I wouldn’t necessarily say her character is developed enough for her own spinoff yet, but if she isn’t back for any subsequent films, I will be upset.

My personal opinion, and the reason why I thoroughly enjoyed this film, the comedy and the chemistry between the performers. There are some surprise appearances that greatly enhance the film due in large to the chemistry these special appearances have with the stars. The shock value, then the performances really just drive the comedy in. So much so, the audience was laughing too hard to actually hear everything that was said. Another big part of the comedy is the contrast among the characters; Hobbs is a brute force type, Shaw is noticeably more dextrous, and Hattie is finesse. It is apparent in their personalities, their fighting styles, and their dialogue. Watching them mesh together is very entertaining. Then, my favorite of the favorites, the back and forth insults Hobbs and Shaw hurl at each other throughout the film is roast worthy. I don’t want to give away the jokes, but whoever wrote them is my type of person. Unnecessarily extreme and somewhat out there metaphors and similes are my jam.

I have only 2 qualms with the movie. My main qualm, some of the lines about family are laughably cheesy. These lines are parody cheesy bad to the point they feel out of place. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but it is a very noticeable speed bump. Next, I’m just mad there’s no justice for Han. I mean Deckard Shaw’s backstory is a little more fleshed out, and it makes sense. But he also killed Han. Hobbs doesn’t really have a dog in that fight, but man can Han get justice?

Hobbs & Shaw is the natural expansion of the Fast & Furious franchise. It does a great job of keeping expanding the universe and also giving it a new yet familiar feel. The film embraces the ridiculous and leans into enough to have an insane amount of fun without being a mindless journey. The cast puts on an incredible performance, with the leads often taking jabs at their work history and public personas. The action is exactly the kind you expect and crave from a Fast & Furious movie. And you will bust your gut laughing the entire time. Also, two after credit scenes. My Hobbs & Shaw review gets a 3.5/5.

Hobbs & Shaw releases August 2nd, 2019.