Fast & Furious 6

Release Date: May 24, 2013 
Runtime: 2 hr. 10 min. 
Director: Justin Lin 
Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Luke Evans, Jordana Brewster, Elsa Pataky, Gina Carano.

If you've seen it once, you've seen it all; at least, that's what you would expect from a franchise running on fumes. But tinker with it enough and you might get something completely refurbished, and "Furious 6" affirms to do just that. 'All roads lead to this' seems appropriate as the tagline, as it took the culmination of all five films to get it to its best. While "Fast Five" was the turning point in rebranding the franchise, it was merely a stepping stone to create something larger on a global scale. As the cars and techs have evolved, so have the characters, forming a tight-knit family that has grown over the past decade. And that's fundamentally the basis of this ongoing series, the crew against the world in life or death situations. Fittingly, the opponents this time around are equally matched, nearly clones of Toretto and his car-wielding gang. Luke Evans as Owen Shaw is by far the most interesting villain, more calculative and cunning than just another drug lord. This makes for exhilarating chase scenes and explosive stunts, one of which includes a speeding aircraft on a never-ending runway. So much so that it's sensory overload from beginning to end – action locked and loaded. That's not to say these exploits are even remotely plausible, going from wild to kitschy in a matter of milliseconds. But director Justin Lin does have a flare for mobility, as camera movements and angles place you right in the action. As for the story, it gets kudos for tying it all together, relating back to the fourth film (a la Michelle Rodriguez), as well as another (hint: end credits.) If what they say is true, you save the best for last, and the finale should be nothing short of spectacular. But knowing how this industry works, the end may not be so near.

Rating: 4 stars