Dwayne Johnson In Fast And Furious: Rio Heist Movie Reviews Examples

Fast Five or Fast and Furious: Rio Heist is the fifth movie in the fast and furious franchise and as far as sequels go, it could so far be called the best of the lot. This is partly due to the introduction of Dwayne Johnson as the FBI agent who is after the protagonists in the movie. Given that the Fast and Furious franchise is known for its high octane car races and heavy duty action sequences, and not much for the acting prowess of its stars, it is a surprise to see Dwayne Johnson steal the show in this movie with his screen presence and acting skills. Although it is not a performance worthy of an Oscar, the moviegoer is in for a treat with the character of Dwayne Johnson. He is all buff and gets saddled with the corny dialogues that the rest of the cast mouths in all of the series, but he still takes the spotlight over from Paul Walker and Vin Diesel. He gets the mouth the least cheesy of dialogues and makes Vin Diesel look tame, which is no mean task.
The scene where Hobbs, Dwayne Johnson’s on screen character interacts with the police chief of Almeida is one of the scenes in the movie where Dwayne Johnson shows his effortless style and dialogue delivery. He comes across as a no-nonsense tough cop and also manages to remain stylishly cool. Dwayne Johnson thoroughly enjoys the character he plays on screen and it shows in the movie. The character of Dwayne Johnson in the movie is not exactly an intelligent FBI agent but someone who relies on muscle and brute force to get what he wants. He is also someone who thinks the means justifies the end and tears through Rio like he is still in America. Dwayne Johnson brings in his hulk and bravado to make the character look convincing. The scene where he throws a file on the floor and tells the other cop that it all makes sense now does not make you laugh or shake your head but entertains you and it would not have been entertaining if it was any other actor doing it. Fast and Furious Five is something of a transitional movie as it strays away from the typical car race sequences associated with the franchise. Audience interest must be kept throughout the movie in this case and the introduction of Dwayne Johnson does just that. He brings a freshness to the tired and tested characters of Paul Walker and Vin Diesel with his trademark sarcasm and brashness.
It is obvious that Dwayne Johnson knows that a movie like this wouldn’t offer him any scope for acting (not that the audience have seen him bring out a range of emotions in his other movies) but he still manages to make the best of what he has got and overshadows the other characters completely, even the protagonists. Unlike the other movies in the series this movie fleshes out the characters a little bit bringing out the fear, determination, humor and vulnerabilities of the characters and Dwayne Johnson portrays all of this effectively. His dialogue delivery although cheesy is humorous. It is as if he knows they sound cheesy and he decided to make it fun anyways. Dwayne also does not get too sappy when Walker and Diesel save his life, he still keeps his sarcasm and gruffness intact. Dwayne bring some of his WWE ‘rock’ persona into the movie and does a lot of talking. With his bulk, good looks, chiseled muscles and piercing gaze he seems to be a perfect fit in a movie that is virtually a parade of good looking people. The movie is one which the audience is expected to enjoy and not think; it is pure entertainment and Dwayne Johnson adds a sizeable amount to it. Dwayne Johnson won a lot of critical acclaim for this role and in a movie where acting is a casualty, being noted for it is an achievement. Even though Dwayne is chasing the protagonists the chemistry between them is amazing. Overall Dwayne manages to stand out in the movie while at the same time blending in and complementing the rest of the characters.

Works Cited

Fast Five. Dir. Justin Lin. Perf. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jordana Brewster and Tyrese Gibson. Universal Pictures, 2011 Film.