Quick Review: Fast & Furious Presents Hobbs & Shaw

It is kind of a pretentious title for a Film this stupid, no?  

Since The Rock and Vin Diesel don't get along, we get a spin-off between 2 side-characters.  Why not?

Hobbs is a Federal Agent (which one varies between Films).
Shaw is a Criminal who killed Han (not addressed in the Film).

They have to get along to save the World?  What do you mean they already did this last Film?

Conveniently enough, the only person between a bad guy releasing a bioweapon and salvation is...Shaw's Sister.

So, the World would be screwed if they weren't related?

The Villain- Idris Elba.

He's a man enhanced with lots of technology, which gives him super-strength and a HUD.

So instead of being a robot brain put into a tough, black guy's body like in Universal Soldier: The Return, he's a tough, black guy...with a computer put into his brain?

Can the pair get along to save the World?  

Will we work in a pair of Cameos to do more 'world-building' for future Films?

Can they get enough muscle and gear to take out this walking pile of muscle and gear?

Or will their last stand in (American) Samoa be their, well, last stand?  Oh, and that's no SPOILER, since the Trailers pretty much laid out all 3 Acts of the Film.

To find out how it all ends, watch the Film.  Oh, and angry squint like Statham too.

A pretty silly Film that really thinks that it should be taken seriously.  We are 9 Films into this Series, so NOW is the time to be serious.  Sure!  

What the Film does right is make big Action Scenes with explosions, car crashes and fighting.  It can be a bit of escapist fun to see all of the silliness.  What it does wrong is try to force some sort of family drama into the mix.  

They do this weird thing where they reveal that Hobbs' family has a criminal connection and his turn to the Law separated him from them.  At the same time, they retcon that Shaw was actually *framed* for what got him kicked out of MI-6- this separated him from his Sister.  

Oh, so they're the same now.  No, wait- Hobbs caught bad guys and Shaw killed lots of people, including Han.  

Oh wait- is he not dead now?  I guess we'll find out next year- stupid pandemic! 

This choice is just a weird one, but I guess they just need that Chinese Yuan too much to keep Statham out of these Films.  It is clear that they want to go big places with this Series (since Rock and Diesel won't cooperate), as they introduce a new Big Bad and Side Characters for Sequel Bait.  Assuming things work out, I'll probably be stuck covering these Films for the next Decade- yea?  

In closing, why do my Films Starring Wrestlers all have them riding motorcycles these days?

Considering it is a F&F spin-off, you knew that it would be silly.  When it sticks to that (and not casually retconning its Characters), it can be stupid fun.