Recently, I claimed that Marvel Studios -- specifically the Iron Man franchise -- was
selling itself out as advertisements for bigger things to come at the
expense of telling a good story now. I also claimed that Marvel films
show little to no ability to create tension or elicit thrills from its
gallery of formulaic and quite frankly, boring, characters.
The Fast and Furious franchise is essentially what Marvel tries to be -- loosely interconnect prequels and sequels and tangential storylines into one massive international franchise that will outlast any of its principal cast. And it does it better and with far less effort. Fast 6 is more fun, showcasing more humor, thrills, and -- dare I say it? -- emotion, than Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, or Oblivion. It knows exactly what it is and it doesn’t try to pretend otherwise. Its story is perplexing, at best, and mostly complete shit. But it makes up for all of it with its balls-to-the-wall gusto -- a feat far more easily said than done.
But beyond all its over-the-top “vehicular warfare,” Fast 6 represents a break from convolution, a respite from angry, serious, heavy-handed 9/11 allegories. It doesn’t pander to every demographic, sometimes at the cost of seeming misogynistic or worse; its DNA is simply, “This is me, world. Take it or leave it.”
The difference between other summer blockbusters and Fast 6 is that the latter doesn’t feel so artificially constructed. Fast 6 is supremely confident in its own skin; Iron Man 3 feels like it was cobbled together by marketers: the white male, the while female, the children’s toy line, the Republican, the black character, etc. By telling stories about a more universal, albeit more shallow, love for cars, Fast 6 eliminates the need to address a myriad of ideas -- and by extension, consciously appeal to all demographics -- and simply focus on telling its story.
This last point is one of concern to me. Race in Hollywood is a touchy subject; but it is not unimpeachable. Already, there are proponents of the Fast and Furious franchise’s depiction of race, claiming it has secretly -- or perhaps the better word is, inconspicuously -- become the most racially progressive mainstream American film franchise:
The truth is, Fast 6 feels wholly organic in its depiction of racially diverse characters, never overtly alerting to everyone, “Look at me! I have Black actors. I have Latino actors. I even have an Asian male who doesn’t know Kung-Fu.” This cross-demographic appeal has undoubtedly, albeit perhaps subconsciously, seeped into the general public, which has continued to make the Fast and Furious movies financial successes. The franchise’s renewed success is also no doubt helped by the star and producer, Vin Diesel, who is of mixed race, and repeat franchise director Justin Lin -- one of very few Asian American filmmakers whose Better Luck Tomorrow is far too often overlooked.
To be honest, I can’t imagine I’d ever be arguing for Fast 6. But I am proud to enjoy a film that is so confident in its execution, so unashamedly telling the story it wants to tell. It may not be high art, but it sure makes going to the movies fun.
The Fast and Furious franchise is essentially what Marvel tries to be -- loosely interconnect prequels and sequels and tangential storylines into one massive international franchise that will outlast any of its principal cast. And it does it better and with far less effort. Fast 6 is more fun, showcasing more humor, thrills, and -- dare I say it? -- emotion, than Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, or Oblivion. It knows exactly what it is and it doesn’t try to pretend otherwise. Its story is perplexing, at best, and mostly complete shit. But it makes up for all of it with its balls-to-the-wall gusto -- a feat far more easily said than done.
But beyond all its over-the-top “vehicular warfare,” Fast 6 represents a break from convolution, a respite from angry, serious, heavy-handed 9/11 allegories. It doesn’t pander to every demographic, sometimes at the cost of seeming misogynistic or worse; its DNA is simply, “This is me, world. Take it or leave it.”
The difference between other summer blockbusters and Fast 6 is that the latter doesn’t feel so artificially constructed. Fast 6 is supremely confident in its own skin; Iron Man 3 feels like it was cobbled together by marketers: the white male, the while female, the children’s toy line, the Republican, the black character, etc. By telling stories about a more universal, albeit more shallow, love for cars, Fast 6 eliminates the need to address a myriad of ideas -- and by extension, consciously appeal to all demographics -- and simply focus on telling its story.
This last point is one of concern to me. Race in Hollywood is a touchy subject; but it is not unimpeachable. Already, there are proponents of the Fast and Furious franchise’s depiction of race, claiming it has secretly -- or perhaps the better word is, inconspicuously -- become the most racially progressive mainstream American film franchise:
Go on and laugh your Benetton, Kumbaya, Kashi, quinoa laugh, but it’s true: The most progressive force in Hollywood today is the “Fast and Furious” movies … they are [incredibly important]—if only because they feature race as a fact of life as opposed to a social problem or an occasion for self-congratulation … and unlike most movies that feature actors of different races, the mixing is neither superficial nor topical.Surely this is a big claim; but upon further reflection, I can’t honestly point to the contrary. When was the last time a major movie franchise featured key characters from multiple racial backgrounds? With the exception of The Help, which major release from 2011 featured non-white protagonists? Even X-Men First Class, which preached acceptance and equality, hardly showcased any minority diversity, to put it lightly. Indeed, a scan through 2012’s top grossing films only reveals an alarmingly overwhelming whitewash at the movies.
The truth is, Fast 6 feels wholly organic in its depiction of racially diverse characters, never overtly alerting to everyone, “Look at me! I have Black actors. I have Latino actors. I even have an Asian male who doesn’t know Kung-Fu.” This cross-demographic appeal has undoubtedly, albeit perhaps subconsciously, seeped into the general public, which has continued to make the Fast and Furious movies financial successes. The franchise’s renewed success is also no doubt helped by the star and producer, Vin Diesel, who is of mixed race, and repeat franchise director Justin Lin -- one of very few Asian American filmmakers whose Better Luck Tomorrow is far too often overlooked.
To be honest, I can’t imagine I’d ever be arguing for Fast 6. But I am proud to enjoy a film that is so confident in its execution, so unashamedly telling the story it wants to tell. It may not be high art, but it sure makes going to the movies fun.
