Having appeared in countless mainstream action films, Vin Diesel has been involved in both major successes and box office failures throughout his acting tenure, but one smash hit keeps on getting better. Despite being a key part of the MCU and leading other notable projects, the Fast & Furious movies have defined Vin Diesel's career, becoming his most recognizable franchise.
He has dedicated over 20 years of his life to making it the box office juggernaut we all know today, but while this IP has had mixed results, one entry always stands out — Fast Five. Often considered the best of the bunch, Fast Five was an all-around success when it debuted in 2011, and it has aged exceptionally well.
Fast Five Has Only Gotten Better With Time
With the market always changing, many action movies haven't aged all too well, including some Fast & Furious films. However, Fast Five stands out for not only remaining a beloved entry but also aging gracefully. Although it features many of the franchise's polarizing elements, Fast Five feels a little bit more grounded and self-contained than the others.
There are still several over-the-top scenes, but they serve the story much better here, with moments such as the train and vault heists making for great action spectacles. Additionally, the chase scenes in Brazil actually felt intense — unlike some of Fast & Furious' less believable showdowns — and the character interactions are at an all-time high.
Given how many big personalities are now involved in the franchise, seeing individuals get the chance to shine is a breath of fresh air in Fast Five, and some critical relationships really begin to flourish here too. Fortunately, the film doesn't feel dated or of its time; instead, it remains among the best action movies of the 2010s.
Fast & Furious Has Failed To Replicate Fast Five
Prior to Fast Five, the Fast & Furious saga was in a place of uncertainty, with the previous entry arguably being the worst of the lot. As a result, Fast Five undoubtedly saved the franchise with its strong critical reception and impressive box office numbers, but despite making plenty of money since, no F&F movie has managed to replicate this quality.
Fast & Furious 6 was a strong follow-up, while Furious 7 turned out way better than anyone could've expected, given Paul Walker passed away during production. Still, neither of these was quite on the level of Fast Five despite borrowing many of the concepts that worked, yet the IP did seem to have a solid future ahead of it.
Sadly, The Fate of the Furious felt like a big step down with its generic plot, reliance on over-the-top sequences, and unrealistic twists. F9 and Fast X each had some aspects to admire, but they didn't come close to matching Fast Five, and while Hobbs and Shaw offered a fun spinoff, the blockbuster series never returned to its previous heights.
Why Fast Five Is So Much Better Than Other Fast Saga Movies
Alongside being more logical and gripping than the other Fast & Furious flicks, Fast Five just feels like a much better overall package. There is genuine jeopardy since the crew hadn't become borderline superhuman at this point, and while there are still several ridiculous stunts involved, they only added to a strong storyline, rather than being the main selling point.
Despite later becoming a hero, Hobbs was one of Fast & Furious' best villains when he debuted in Fast Five, as he was a physical specimen who came across as ruthless yet understandable. Likewise, Hernan Reyes was a straightforward yet compelling antagonist who forced Dom's crew to think big, be bold, and work as one.
The franchise ultimately had funnier and more action-packed movies, but Fast Five's grounded approach sprinkled with some truly explosive scenes and great characters helped make it an underrated masterpiece, one that is laps ahead of every other Fast & Furious film.
