Leitch and his unflinching promise to the world on breaking down the middle ground between a B grade premise to good filmmaking has left me amazed and happy. And challenging himself, he isn’t just diving in on an outdated formula but also on the most frowned upon franchise and to add more troubles, a spin-off. But by now, we should face the facts and acknowledge that he had not just been winging on his luck up till now. The director David Leitch is famous for his signature over-the-top procedure on… basically everything. But is he really stretching things though? I mean we’ve encountered some pretty obnoxious overflowing embroidery before too, but none of it felt so coherent. None of it made sense. Yes, he is really going over-the-top, the only difference is that he accepts his near madness of spiced up screen with genuinity and frivolity.

Plus, he calculates the characteristics of the characters in numbers. Something that might sound like a head turning idea, but when he jumbles those same things onto the screen, it works. Against all odds, all accusations and flaws, it works. And this is the note where the film leaves me on. Is that it worked. I bought it. All of it. I shouldn’t be surprised considering that the franchise, despite it’s ups and downs, has managed to stay toe to toe with the political correctness- one of the few films in recent years, that gets the message passed on with a nuanced and effective expression- and expectations of its fandom.

And yet with the same characters, same concept, same world and the same structure of the script, Hobbs And Shaw is unlike the root of the franchise. As in, for a franchise that has evidently and proudly worked so hard on the choreography of the antics- which often is a big stunt or a change in location- Hobbs And Shaw perpetually rejects to nod on those hyped up moments. To be fair, there is tons of pressure to let an entire quarter of a film hinge upon one moment.

And it is also not that they don’t try, but knowing that they end up coming with often derivative set pieces, they are leaving the answers blank on the sheet. And as a result the surprise catches you where the film should have actually failed. Justifying the title of the film, they have worked properly on the lead equation of the film. After a thorough homework on what made their relationship so special in The Fate Of The Furious, the makers have given enough reason for the fans to discuss their fights, their stunts, their bickering, their trash talks, their empty threats, and their unsung boyish comfort level that they share.

This film, in fact, the franchise has proved again and again, bringing a new dimension on filmmaking, how and what sort of potential information should they pass on. If a film is art, and commercial film serving the audience that very art wrapped with attractive blingy wallpaper, it is not only safe but smart to know then, what audience really wants; Bravo!

Rating: 3.25/5

Review by Arth_Joshi