After pulling off the heist of a lifetime in Fast 5, career criminals Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) hang up their car keys and retire, eagerly awaiting the impending birth of Brian’s first child with Mia (Jordana Brewster).

Meanwhile, Agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) is chasing an elite team of criminals led by Shaw (Luke Evans). When his agents are outfoxed by the team’s impressive street-racing skills, Hobbs realises there is only one crew who can bring down these dangerous criminals, and he approaches Dom with an interesting offer – amnesty in return for Shaw’s arrest. A reluctant Dom initially refuses, until he learns that a ghost from his past (played by Michelle Rodriguez) may somehow be involved.

As Dominic assembles his team in London, Shaw’s attacks intensify and it soon becomes clear they are going to need more than fast cars to stop this mastermind.

Over the years, fans have come to expect three things from the Fast & Furious franchise: fast cars, epic action sequences and a whole lot of muscle. This latest instalment delivers all that and much more. Unlike its predecessors, Fast & Furious 6 does not focus as heavily on the illegal street racing which has made this franchise famous. Instead, it uses the reappearance of a familiar character to create tension and personalise the conflict between Toretto and Shaw. There is also a powerful secondary storyline about the importance of family. But action fans, don’t despair: there are still more than enough intense car chases, seriously over-the-top action scenes, and adrenaline-pumping, car-crushing moments to keep even the most die-hard fan entertained.

A chiselled Vin Diesel superbly reprises his role as bad boy Dominic and blue-eyed hottie Walker is fantastic as Brian. Johnson delivers a strong performance as Hobbs, a man who is realising that the best way to catch a criminal is to become one, while singer/actor Tyrese Gibson returns as the team’s funnyman, Roman, whose quick wit and loose lips set the scene for some unexpectedly comic moments.

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I have always loved the way in which this franchise portrays strong and confident women, and Fast 6 is no exception. Bad guys beware – these women are given ample opportunities to show off their accuracy with deadly weapons, their hard-core fighting skills and impressive street-racing abilities.

An unexpected plot twist shakes up the film and sets the scene for one final, explosive showdown, while a surprising cameo from Jason Statham, coupled with footage from Tokyo Drift (the third film in the franchise), suggests that there may be more in store for our favourite racers. So strap yourselves in and prepare for the biggest adrenaline rush you’ll experience this year. Ride or die, remember?