Once a franchise on the decline until Fast 4 bounced back in 2009 and Fast 5 blew the doors off the box office in 2011, Fast and Furious 6 tries to keep the runaway train rolling at top speed. While a good entry into the series, it doesn’t reach the bar set by 5.

At the end of the 5th movie, the Dominic and Brian crew pulled off a huge heist that toppled a criminal ring in Rio and made the Robin Hoods in custom cars filthy rich. While they have the money, they don’t have the freedom as they are all wanted criminals. CIA agent Luke Hobbes returns with someone else to chase this time. Shaw is stealing equipment to make a scary military grade weapon/device and he must be stopped. Knowing Shaw’s skills, the only people he can think of to stop him is Dom & Brian. Hobbes offers them all full pardons and a link to their past that was long thought dead in return for their help.

So that starts the globe trotting, pulse pounding and wheel spinning race to save the world. While the series has always taken the laws of physics and ideas of plausibility with a grain of salt, Furious 6 pretty much throws it all to the wind to make some of the most over the top action scenes ever put on film. People walk away from horrific car crashes with barely a scratch, harrowing rescues defy logic and reasoning.

It’s all done in the name of fun. You just need to check your brain at the start and let the good times roll. Goofy, heroic dialog and speeches that are sure to make you groan. Car chases and fights that unfold more like a cartoon than real life scenario. An airplane runway that seemingly stretches across continents it’s so big. When you get to the 6th entry of driving cars around really fast, you really need to think outside the box to keep from showing the exact same action sequence.

The 5th movie felt more fresh and new than this one did. It had a lot of great ideas and some amazing action scenes that while over the top, felt more grounded. Also, the resurrection of a dead character made this movie feel like it was stretching a lot more to justify it’s existence.

Fast & Furious 6 keeps the good times coming at a break neck pace, just don’t look for anything serious to happen for these 2 hours of your life.

Jack Reacher is another solid entry into Tom Cruise’s action movie catalog. Part sniper, part military, part spy movie, Jack Reacher checks all the boxes for go to action movie requirements. Car chases, foot chases, gun and fist fights. A dash of mystery and investigation glues it all together.

The movie opens with a man named Charlie milling his own bullets. Not a good sign. We then see him set up shop in a parking garage and then shoot and kill 5 people, seemingly at random. On the surface it’s a cut and dry case. He runs to try and get away, the police quickly catch him and plenty of evidence is gathered that pins him as the sniper. After he’s beaten to near death while in police custody, he has one request. Find Jack Reacher.

Jack is a hell of guy, Highly regarded in his military service, he disappears into the wind, only surfacing when he wants to be found. Smart, athletic, and a hell of a fighter, Jack Reacher is more super hero than human being (he is played by Tom Cruise after all). It’s up to Jack and Charlie’s attorney, Helen to figure out what really happened. And figure it out they do! Jack can seemingly connect the dots out of thin air and can take a punch without missing a step.

While everything seems to unfold very conveniently for Jack, it doesn’t ruin the movie. It’s a very Hollywood affair. It looks really good, it’s well paced and fun to watch. It doesn’t try to break any ground, but does it’s best to be a good movie. I can’t see this ever becoming a franchise or even standing out in Tom Cruise’s career, but it makes for a great rental.