Tokyo Drift, Fast & Furious, Fast Five, Fast & Furious 6, and F9 have one factor in widespread apart from having Vin Diesel in them (even when it’s for a cameo) — they had been all directed by Justin Lin. Lin’s helmed essentially the most Fast & Furious franchise movies, adopted solely by Louis Leterrier, who’s set to return for an untitled Fast X sequel. It’s protected to say that Lin is aware of how you can ship to an action-eager crowd. But you received’t discover his finest motion sequence in any of these films. Way again when cult TV present Community was in its freshman season, Lin directed three episodes, together with the epic “Modern Warfare.”
Dan Harmon’s Community had a troubled run throughout its lifetime, with episodes being pulled out of scheduling, the entire Chevy Chase state of affairs, and being canceled by NBC however then introduced again by Yahoo’s extinct Yahoo! Screen streaming service. None of these setbacks affected its high quality (nicely, perhaps Season 4 a bit) or its passionate cult following. The famed phrase as soon as stated by Abed (Dani Pudi), “six seasons and a movie” reworked into the fan base’s rallying name to get a ultimate movie — and now it’s been made actuality. Part of what made it nice had been its operating gags — the Halloween episodes, the alternate timeline, and “Troy and Abed within the Morning,” amongst others. “Modern Warfare” began a really explicit Community custom: the paintball struggle episodes.
What Happens in “Modern Warfare”?
After the chilly open, Lin’s distinctive path begins as Jeff (Joel McHale) wakes from a automobile nap, discovering the campus wanting post-apocalyptically deserted. A quick assault lets him know the varsity has been turned the other way up due to a paintball struggle. Abed (Pudi) and Troy (Donald Glover) clarify why this got here to move: the grand prize is precedence registration for subsequent semester.
Lin works inside the confined areas of the varsity’s school rooms, hallways, and loos with photographs that transpire uneasiness and suspense. After they get along with Pierce (Chase), Britta (Gillian Jacobs), Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown), and Annie (Alison Brie), they enterprise to open floor. The face-off with the glee membership has a number of casualties (Troy, Pierce, and Annie), making it clear there’s no protected house.
When Shirley’s motivation to win is revealed to have the ability to spend extra time along with her youngsters, remaining gamers Abed and Britta conform to concede the prize, with solely Jeff being resistant to take action. A brief however efficient battle ensues because the disco rollers enter the cafeteria, the group’s refuge. The dynamic angles present how agile and ruthless individuals may be on wheels. Abed and Shirley find yourself being dramatically eradicated from the sport.
How Does the Paintball War End?
During the episode’s chilly open, everybody’s proven as being aggravated with Jeff and Britta for his or her fixed flirty bickering, which they suppose they need to get previous, since they lack chemistry and it’s not cute. Being the one ones from the group that survived, the pair find yourself within the library curing Jeff from an actual wound. They lastly consummate the sexual stress that had been build up because the pilot episode. But earlier than Britta can resolve whether or not to betray Jeff or not, Chang (Ken Jeong) enters the room because the Dean (Jim Rash) despatched him to finish the struggle.
Lin’s slow-motion photographs illustrate how Britta and Chang shoot one another down and the way Chang’s defeat solely made him stronger by activating a suicide bomb that just about will get Jeff. After escaping, Jeff angrily confronts the Dean, and shoots him to make it clear he’s received. Jeff comes up because the winner of the struggle and the precedence registration prize. He finally ends up giving the prize to Shirley, and the final shot exhibits Abed confused as a result of “something has changed” (Britta and Jeff’s relationship).
Lin’s work on Community was a restricted contribution of three episodes. Besides “Modern Warfare,” he directed “Interpretive Dance,” the place Britta and Troy popped some very totally different dance strikes and “Introduction to Statistics,” the primary of the sequence’ conventional Halloween episodes, the place Annie organizes a Día De Los Muertos occasion for the Spanish class.
It’s “Modern Warfare” that stands out, due to its motion sequences and the homages to a handful of motion movies. It’s principally a Die Hard tribute, with Jeff in his white tank prime preventing the unhealthy guys. But different movies are additionally included and mashed up in lots of scenes: Jeff waking up amidst a zombie apocalypse as in 28 Days Later, Abed enjoying a Terminator/Riddick hybrid when he rescues Jeff, Britta and Chang’s face-off à la The Matrix, and Shirley reciting Bible verses is paying homage to Saving Private Ryan, if solely they had been additionally capturing individuals in curler skates.
With “Modern Warfare,” Justin Lin directed one in every of Community’s finest episodes. In it, he mixed the very best of Community along with his skill to assemble motion scenes. It’s a tapestry of homages to motion classics, not just for the sake of the tribute, but additionally weaving the storyline of the competitors in Greendale Community College. Whatever your opinion could also be on the Fast & Furious franchise, Lin’s expertise is plain, and this episode of Community is proof of what the director can do at his finest.