So far, only a handful of action movies absolutely brim with the tingle factor. This special ingredient can cause the hair to stand up on your neck and make you feel transformed. Speed (1994), Eraser (1996), Die Hard (1988) and The Fugitive (1993) all contain this quality. Fast Five, directed by Justin Lin, does not. It leaves very little to the imagination in terms of what the filmmakers are trying to accomplish. I found the whole experience a very dry, emotionless one.

The plot for Fast Five -- wait a minute, what plot? (more like an excuse for relentless action) -- involves a heist. There’s barely a pause for character development as the duo of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are again working against the law. However, a new character appears in the bulked-up form of Agent Hobbs (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson), who tries to stop them.

As the fifth installment in a successful franchise, the film retreads familiar ground i.e. fast cars, lots of gunfire, glamorous locations and beautiful women, etc. It’s all very predictable, run-of-the-mill stuff designed specifically to appeal directly to the pulse, not the mind.

You will find very little substance in Lin’s film beyond the testosterone laden score by Brian Tyler. It’s hardly a challenging score to write. Yet, Tyler finds the energy from somewhere. His work proves to be the only distinctive element in the picture.

The performances are let down by the repetitious nature of the spectacle. In particular, would-be action stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker have precious little space to stretch out, try something different and ultimately surprise the audience. Stephen F. Windon’s camerawork appears too restless. Abrupt editing also short-changes the experience.

In the final analysis, Fast Five probably will not endure because its truncated visuals and uninspired performances lack the tingle factor.

(Releases by Universal Pictures and rated "PG-13" for intense sequences of violence and action, sexual content and language.)