We’ve already discussed why Hobbs and Shaw will be one of the most inspirational movies of 2019. However, now that we’ve been treated to some footage showing us what to expect from the first Fast and Furious spin-off, it’s safe to say that this will also be the most ridiculous movie of the year. This franchise has been off the rails for a while now, and Hobbs and Shaw will see the madness accelerate. As it should.
Like most of you wonderful readers, I can’t wait for the summer to arrive so this movie can unfold before my eyes and steal my heart. The film reunites the unlikely bedfellows Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), who are forced to team up and save the world from the force of human evolution that is Brixton (Idris Elba). Lots of bickering and death-defying madness ensues.
If the inherent ridiculousness of this franchise coupled with that cast isn’t enough to sell you, this trailer certainly will. It’s an absolute blast and will leave you grinning from ear to ear. Check it out for yourself, then join me as I break it down.
The biggest takeaway from the trailer is Elba’s character. What is he supposed to be? People always joke about this franchise ending up in space eventually, but whatever is going on with Brixton suggests that the series is starting to embrace some science fiction elements. Surely a space adventure is inevitable at some point?
Of course, the heart that gives life to the trailer is the relationship between the titular characters. If this footage is anything to go by, we might just have the next great cinematic bromance on our hands. The chemistry between Johnson and Statham is electric, and both actors appear to be having an absolute blast here. Their enthusiasm is infectious.
The trailer opens in London with a helicopter trailing through the night sky. You know something big is about to go down. A voiceover from our villain then reveals that he’s dealing with “the future of the planet”, and it’s clear from the get-go that this madman’s crimes are driven by some wacky ideological motivation. This is a strong start.
Say hello to our bad guy. Here we see Brixton strolling through a hi-tech lab with his warriors by his side. It’s evident that he has enough resources to back up his bold claims. Our heroes are about to have their work cut out with this guy and his crew.
Given that this franchise was built on the allure of people driving cool cars through the streets, it was only a matter of time until the trailer showcased some fancy vehicles. In this scene, a mystery driver speeds through the city and arrives at a nightclub that undoubtedly hosts London’s elite socialites and criminals. Whoever is behind the wheel is going to be cooler than a polar bear’s toenails.
Here it is, folks. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. What we’re seeing here is the preposterous evolution of this franchise reaching its apex. The breakthrough moment that will pave the way for future movies to incorporate space travel and robot mercenaries into their stories. Brixton is no mere terrorist — he’s also “bulletproof” and “superhuman.” This scene wouldn’t seem out of place in a trailer for a Marvel movie.
Our introduction to Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby) is a dramatic one. Here, she finds herself in a face-to-face situation with Brixton, and it’s not courteous. “Who the hell are you?”, she asks him.
Brixton, in the most badass moment featured in this trailer, introduces himself as “The Bad Guy.” He then proceeds to live up to his moniker by beating the snot out of her comrades. He’s like a one-man killing machine.
A few moments ago, Brixton claimed to be superhuman. Any deranged lunatic can claim to be superhuman, though. Actually being superhuman is a different matter. However, as we can see from his ability to put dents in steel doors with his fists, it’s pretty evident that he’s no mere mortal.
Hattie and her colleagues can’t handle this Brixton situation on their own. It’s time to call in some reinforcements. The type of professional heroes who specialize in dealing with these high stakes threats…
Cue Hobbs and Shaw going about their respective days. Hobbs is just out of bed and about to start his day, while Shaw is sitting in a pub, enjoying a refreshing pint like an English gentleman. Little do they know that they’re about to cross paths in the very near future.
If you thought our heroes wouldn’t run into trouble sooner or later, you were mistaken.
As you can see, they can’t walk into a room without getting into brawls with some unfortunate rascals. For all their differences with each other, at least they share a mutual hobby. Maybe this shared enthusiasm for violence will bring them together as besties.
Of course, sometimes bonds take time to develop. When our heroic duo are reintroduced to each other, they don’t waste time exchanging any pleasantries. There’s some unsettled bad blood here, and they voice their frustrations. Naturally, it makes for some entertaining viewing.
Hobbs and Shaw pairing up marked a tonal shift in the trailer. Brixton’s moments at the start were all about establishing how dangerous he is, but this movie is a buddy comedy at heart. The exchanges between our leads are a hoot. In the above interaction, Shaw is stressing the importance of stealth to Hobbs while War’s “Why Can’t We Be Friends” song plays. You can feel the subsequent chaos that transpires in the air.
Here’s some of that stealth Shaw was talking about in the form of high-speed chases. As you can see, there’s some nice variation in the vehicles as well. Put these guys behind a wheel of any machine and action-packed mayhem will follow.
If Brixton smashing a door with his fists wasn’t enough proof of how super strong he is, then this scene where he assaults Hobbs and sends him hurling towards a truck window more or less confirms that he’s a machine. At this point, I’d be willing to bet money that he’s not a human being at all.
Maybe our heroes went into this fight unprepared. They’ve both just been dealt an almighty ass-kicking at the hands of their bionic nemesis and are now realizing that winning this war is going to be tricky.
Things are starting to get heated — literally. This dude is packing a freaking flamethrower, and he’s hell-bent on toasting a fool. Sometimes it’s the little things like this that really drive home the magic of cinema.
Hattie has been kidnapped by Brixton and his goons. They make their daring escape by running down the front of a skyscraper. Once again, it seems that anything and everything is possible in this movie.
Hobbs, being the brave fella that he is, jumps out after the escapees and gets into a fight while descending the building. Shaw, meanwhile, decides to play it safe and takes the elevator like a regular person. Shaw is clearly the brains of the operation and Hobbs is the muscle.
The trailer concludes with Hobbs and Shaw tied up and about to be electrocuted. Since death seems inevitable, Hobbs tries to act funny and tough by informing everyone that Brixton is about to deliver the “bad guy speech.” Brixton decides to administer a brutal shock instead. I love that the trailer ends on a suspenseful note and leaves us wondering how our heroes will escape their plight.
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