10 Genius Blockbuster Movie Subversions

What You Thought

Some eyes rolled when Dwayne Johnson announced the imminent arrival of a Fast & Furious spinoff in the form of Hobbs and Shaw in 2019. The characters were enjoyable enough but what could they offer as the leads in the story?

At this point they'd just been adding further star power to a burgeoning ensemble in the main series. And surely it was just going to be another exercise in muscle-bound, engine-revving silliness, right?

What It Actually Was

Instead of clammering for a glut of explosions and fast cars (though we still get the odd chase and wrecking of a building/vehicle) the latest entry offers something that no one saw on the horizon. Johnson (or rather Luke Hobbs) and Jason Statham (Deckard Shaw) rediscovering who they are through reconnecting with their estranged families.

Seriously, it's a curve ball in itself that amongst all the chaos of super-soldiers and chemical weapons, the series has managed to break down the machismo of both of the leads enough to uncover a longing to be home and with your family. Sure, it's a tad cheesy in its delivery but the attempt is worth some praise. It may have had the odd gear head wiping a tear away on the way out of the screening, too.