Fast Five (alternatively known as Fast & Furious 5 or Fast & Furious 5: Rio Heist) is a 2011 action film written by Chris Morgan and directed by Justin Lin and the fifth installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Dwayne Johnson and was first released in Australia on April 20, 2011 followed by a United States release on April 29, 2011. Fast Five follows Brian O'Conner (Walker), Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and Mia Toretto (Brewster) as they plan a heist to steal $100 million from corrupt businessman Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida) while being pursued for arrest by U.S. DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson).
For development of Fast Five, a conscious effort was made by Universal Studios to shift away from the street racing theme prevalent in previous films in the series. Emphasis was instead placed on transforming the franchise into a heist action series that utilized cars in an attempt to attract wider audiences that may otherwise be turned off by the series' focus on cars and car culture. Fast Five is considered the transitional film in the series, featuring only one car race with more attention given to action set-pieces such as gun fights, brawls and the heist of $100 million.
Following its release, Fast Five garnered critical praise, becoming the highest rated entry in the franchise, and financial gain, breaking box office records to become the highest grossing opening weekend in an April and the second highest opening weekend in Spring, earning $168 million. The film surpassed Fast & Furious (2009) to become the highest grossing film in the franchise and overtook Rio to become the highest grossing film of 2011, holding this title for fifteen days before being replaced by Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. As of June 17, 2011, Fast Five has grossed over $585 million worldwide, placing it #63 on the list of highest-grossing films of all time worldwide - in unadjusted dollars.
PLOT
When Dominic "Dom" Toretto (Vin Diesel) is being transported to a US prison by bus, his sister Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster) and friend Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) lead an assault on the bus, causing it to crash, freeing Dom. While authorities search for them, the trio escape to Rio de Janeiro. Awaiting Dom's arrival, Mia and Brian join their friend Vince (Matt Schulze) and other participants on a job to steal three cars from a train. While aboard the train, Brian and Mia discover the train is carrying DEA agents and that the cars are seized property. When Dom arrives with the rest of the participants, he realizes that one of them, Zizi (Michael Irby), is only interested in stealing one car - the Ford GT40. Dom has Mia steal the car herself while Dom and Brian fight Zizi and his henchmen, with Zizi killing the DEA agents assigned to the vehicles. Dom and Brian are captured and brought to crime lord – and owner of the cars – Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), Zizi's boss where he orders the pair be interrogated to discover the location of the car. However they manage to escape and retreat to their safehouse.
While Brian, Dom, and Mia examine the car to discover its importance, Vince arrives and is caught trying to remove a computer chip from the car, admitting that he was planning to sell it to Reyes on his own. Dom forces Vince to leave and after investigating the chip, Brian discovers it contains details of Reyes' criminal empire including the locations of $100 million in cash. Following the murder of the DEA agents aboard the train, blamed on Dom and his team, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and his team arrive in Rio to capture Dom and Brian. They travel to Dom's safehouse with assistance from local officer Elena Neves (Elsa Pataky), but find it under assault by Reyes' men. Brian, Dom and Mia escape with Dom suggesting they split up and leave Rio, but Mia announces she is pregnant with Brian's child. Dom agrees to stick together and suggests they steal Reyes' money to start a new life. The trio organizes a team to perform the heist, recruiting Han Seoul-Oh (Sung Kang), Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Ludacris), Gisele Harabo (Gal Gadot), Tego Leo (Tego Calderón) and Rico Santos (Don Omar). Vince later joins the team after saving Mia from being captured by Reyes' men, earning Dom's trust once more.
Hobbs and his team eventually find and arrest Dom, Mia, Brian and Vince. While transporting them to the airport for extradition to the United States, the convoy is attacked by Reyes' men, killing Hobbs' team and Vince. Hobbs is saved by Dom, Brian and Mia as they fight back against Reyes' men and escape. Wanting revenge for his murdered team, Hobbs and Elena agree to help with the heist. The gang breaks into the police station where Reyes' money is kept and tear the vault from the building using their cars, dragging it through the city with police in pursuit. Believing they cannot outrun the police, Dom makes Brian continue on without him while he attacks the police and the pursuing Reyes, using the vault attached to his car to smash their vehicles. Brian returns to kill Zizi, while Reyes is badly injured by Dom's assault. Hobbs arrives on the scene and executes Reyes. Hobbs refuses to let the pair go free, but unwilling to arrest them, agrees to give them a 24-hour head start to escape. The gang split Reyes' money, with Dom leaving Vince's share to his family, before the members go their separate ways.
In the South Pacific, Brian and Mia, now visibly pregnant, relax on a beach, where they are met by Dom and Elena. Brian challenges Dom to a final, no-stakes race to prove who is the better driver.
In a post-credits scene, Hobbs is given a file by FBI agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes) concerning the hijack of a military convoy in Berlin. In the file, Hobbs discovers a recent photo of Leticia Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Dom's presumed-deceased girlfriend, implying that she survived the events of Fast & Furious.
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CAST
- Vin Diesel as Dom Toretto, a professional criminal, street racer and fugitive. Diesel was reportedly paid $15 million to star in and produce the film.
- Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner, a former FBI agent turned criminal. He is in a relationship with Mia Toretto.
- Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs, a Diplomatic Security Service agent. According to producer Vin Diesel, the role of Hobbs was originally developed with Tommy Lee Jones in mind to take the part. However when reading feedback on his Facebook page, Diesel noted one fan stating a desire to see Diesel and Johnson in a film together. Diesel and director Justin Lin then redesigned the role for Johnson. Johnson wanted to work with Universal Studios, citing their support for him when transitioning from wrestling to his film career.He described the role as a former bounty hunter turned US Marshal, the "government’s version of the best bounty hunter on the planet." He undertook an extensive daily workout regime to increase the size of his physique, wanting his character to appear as a "hunter" and formidable enough to be a credible threat to the protagonists.
- Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto, Dom's sister and girlfriend of Brian O'Conner.
- Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce, Brian's childhood friend. Gibson's involvement was confirmed on June 30, 2010, reprising his role from 2 Fast 2 Furious.
- Ludacris as Tej Parker, Brian and Roman's friend from Miami. Ludacris confirmed his involvement in the film on July 12, 2010 when he stated he had arrived in Puerto Rico to begin filming.[10]
- Matt Schulze as Vince, Dom's childhood friend. Having previously appeared in the first film, Schulze was confirmed to be returning on July 16, 2010.
- Sung Kang as Han Seoul-Oh, street racer and Dom's business partner in the Dominican Republic.
- Gal Gadot as Gisele Harabo, a former Mossad agent and love interest of Han.
- Tego Calderon as Tego Leo, a member of Dom's crew.
- Don Omar as Rico Santos, a member of Dom's crew.
- Joaquim de Almeida as Hernan Reyes, a ruthless drug lord. Almeida was confirmed to be taking on the role of antagonist Hernan Reyes on July 16, 2010.
- Elsa Pataky as Elena Neves, a Rio police officer who works with Hobbs' team. Pataky was confirmed to be involved as the love interest of Diesel's character on July 16, 2010.
- Michael Irby as Zizi, Reyes' henchman.
Alimi Ballard, Fernando Chien, Yorgo Constantine, and Geoff Meedy portray members of Hobbs's team: Fusco, Wilkes, Chato, and Macroy. Michelle Rodriguez appears in photographs as Leticia Ortiz, Dom's girlfriend who apparently died in Fast & Furious. Eva Mendes appears in an uncredited cameo as undercover FBI agent Monica Fuentes, reprising her role from 2 Fast 2 Furious.
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