What I really hated: Daniel Wu's unconvincing character
A well-meaning movie like this often gets caught up in its own good intentions. This wants to be an expose on the immigrant experience, but it also wants to be a gritty gangland drama, and ends up being a strange half-breed. Jackie Chan is (surprise, surprise) competent enough, if rather distracting, and it might've been better if someone else had played his role.
Fast & Furious would be better off if it was faster and less furious. The action sequences are unimpressive for the most part, and at times are downright boring (I fell asleep in the middle of one). The attempted heavy drama was simply a leaden deadweight. The first action sequence is pretty cool, but after that, you might as well go ask for your money back or sneak into another theatre.
The riot scenes that were mixed with archival footage effectively place you in the streets, and have an authentic intensity. Care is taken to show all sides, and no one is painted as a "bad guy", but that also means that it's hard to relate to so many characters as each gets so little screentime. Still, a worthwhile effort.
It's amusing in bits, but shrill, cartoony slapstick comedy isn't really my cup of tea. It also suffers from a loose second act that flounders around, as well as an irritating protagonist that you just want to smack. For a movie that ostensibly features heavy metal, it's as tame and cutesy as Hello Kitty.
What I loved most: Um... Justin Chatwin is somewhat likeable?
What I really hated: The entire package
It takes one of my favorite memories of childhood, rapes it in every orifice, rips everything apart, stomps on the bloody remains, and then spits on it for good measure. Granted, Justin Chatwin is likeable, but that's it. A horrifically inept movie that isn't bad enough that it's hilarious - it's just bad. My only consolation is that Akira Toriyama probably got a shitload of money from signing his rights away.
What I really hated: Gambit should've just been cut
Marvel delivers yet another hit. Terrific action sequences and a cast of very decent acting talent lift this head and shoulders above the crapfest that was X3. The weakest link in seems to be Gambit, who's thrown in just as fan service and pretty useless otherwise. Similarly, the actor portraying him seems content to simply deliver cool poses.
