If you're looking for simple, dedicated action/crime entertainment with some solid hood vibes, F. Gary Gray has you covered. His comedies aren't quite as successful, but still passable when craving some generic Hollywood fare.
Movies
While I'm not the biggest fan of the series, I must give credit where due. The people behind the franchise have been pretty consistently besting themselves with each new entry in the series. That's not a given (just look at all those 80s horror franchises), especially when you're already 8 films in. I will say that "besting" is pretty much limited to making the action bigger, crazier and more explosive. If you want serious character development, a solid plot or engrossing drama you better look elsewhere. If on the other hand you're content with some of the best action scenes ever put on screen, F8 has you covered. The cast does a decent job, though mostly because their characters are tailored to their own personas. The introduction is a bit long and Theron is a disappointing villain, but once the car action begins that's all quickly forgotten. The film doesn't really slow down after that and the finale is one of the best in the series so far. Good fun.Read all
A simple cops and robbers flick, only with four women in the lead. It's quite ahead of its time if you look at it like that, but at the same time, the film is little more than a basic action/crime flick. That's not too big of a bother though, as genre filler it does its thing rather well and even though the film is a tad long, it never felt like it outstayed its welcome. The performances are decent, the presentation is slick but pleasant and the plot is generic, but the female angle never feels forced and so it ends up adding something valuable. Two hours is a little long, but the pacing is fine and some well-spread-out action scenes keep the blood pumping. Solid.Read all
A typical Hollywood art heist production (also the kind Hong Kong liked to make), set in Europe. This is basic blockbuster fodder, built around Kevin Hart's persona. It's not a great film, but it has some larger-than-life action scenes and it is relatively short, so it doesn't outstay its welcome. If you dislike Hart you're not going to appreciate this film, because he is very present. The performances are forgettable and the plot is silly, but the action is decent and the heist is pretty insane. It's not a great film, but not the worst way to pass 100 minutes either.Read all
A mediocre attempt to revive a mediocre franchise. Hemsworth is a decent replacement, sadly Thompson falls flat besides him. The CG isn't very impressive and the creature design and voice work are dumb and childish. There's some silly action fun and the light-hearted tone keeps it watchable, but the film lacks any core qualities.
A rather plain and lazy black stoner comedy. If you think the mere idea of weed is funny, then there might be something here for you. Otherwise, it's just broad stereotypes, mediocre performances and purely functional direction. These types of comedy just aren't my thing, I like Gray better when he's doing action flicks.