Justin Lin’s Best 20 Minutes of Action Isn’t From Any ‘Fast & Furious’ Movie

tokyo drift, Fast and Furious, fast five, Fast & Furious 6And F9 have one thing in common other than having VIN diesel in them (even if it’s a cameo) - they were all directors Justin Lin. Lin has directed the most films in the Fast & Furious franchise, followed only by Louis Leterrier, who is set to return in an untitled Fast X sequel. It’s safe to say that Lin knows how to please an action-hungry crowd. But you won’t find his best action sequence in any of these films. Way back when the cult TV show Community was the first season, Lin directed three episodes, including the epic Modern Warfare.

Dan HarmonX Community had a problematic run during its existence, episodes were pulled from the schedule, all Chevy Chase situation and was canceled by NBC, but then returned to the extinct Yahoo! Yahoo! Screen streaming service. None of these failures have affected his quality (well, maybe a little for Season 4) or his passionate cult following. A famous phrase once said by Abed (Dani Pudi), “six seasons and a movie” turned into a rallying cry for fans to get the final movie - and now it’s a reality. Part of what made it great was the constant gags - the Halloween episodes, the alternate timeline and “Troy and Abed in the Morning” among others. “Modern Warfare” marked the beginning of a very specific Community tradition: episodes of the paintball war.

What happens in Modern Warfare?

After the cold opening, Lin’s characteristic direction begins as Jeff (Joel McHale) wakes up from a car sleep to find the campus looking post-apocalyptic abandoned. A short attack makes him realize that the school has been turned upside down because of the paintball war. Abed (Pudi) and Troy (Donald Glover) explain why this happened: the main prize is priority registration for the next semester.

Lin works in the confined space of classrooms, hallways and bathrooms, and the footage conveys suspense and anxiety. After they meet Pierce (Chase), Britta (Gillian Jacobs), Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown) and Annie (Alison Brie), they venture into open ground. There are several casualties (Troy, Pierce, and Annie) in the encounter with the glee club, making it clear that there is no safe place.

When it turns out that Shirley’s motivation to win is being able to spend more time with her kids, the remaining players Abed and Britta agree to cede the prize, with only Jeff resisting. A short but effective battle ensues as the discos enter the dining room, the group’s hideout. Dynamic camera angles show just how nimble and ruthless people on wheels can be. Abed and Shirley are abruptly out of the game.

How does the paintball war end?

During the episode’s cold opening, everyone is shown to be annoyed by Jeff and Britta for their constant flirtatious bickering which they think they should forget as they lack chemistry and it’s not cute. As the only survivors of the group, the pair end up in the library, healing Jeff from his real wound. They finally complete the sexual tension that has been building up since the pilot episode. But before Britta can decide whether or not to betray Jeff, Chang (Ken Jeong) enters the room as dean (Jim Rushsent him to end the war.

Slow-motion footage of Lin shows Britta and Chang knocking each other down and how Chang’s defeat only made him stronger, setting off a suicide bomb that nearly hit Jeff. After escaping, Jeff angrily confronts the Dean and shoots him to show that he has won. Jeff wins the war and wins the priority registration prize. He eventually gives the prize to Shirley and the last shot shows Abed confused because “something has changed” (Britta and Jeff’s relationship).

Justin Lin in the series “Community”

Lin’s work on “Community” was limited to three episodes. In addition to “Modern Warfare”, he directed “Interpretive Dance”, where Britta and Troy performed several very different dance moves, and “Introduction to Statistics”, the first of the series’ traditional Halloween episodes, where Annie organizes a Día De Los Muertos party for the Spanish Class.

It’s “Modern Warfare” that stands out for its action scenes and homage to several action movies. It’s basically tenacious a tribute where Jeff in his white jersey fights the bad guys. But other films are also included and mixed in many scenes: Jeff wakes up in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, as in 28 days laterAbed plays Terminator/Riddick a hybrid when he saves Jeff, Britta and Chang’s faceoff a la Matrixand Shirley’s reading of Bible verses is reminiscent of Saving Private Ryanif people in roller skates were also shot.

In Modern Warfare, Justin Lin filmed one of Communitybest episodes. In it he combined the best of Community with his ability to put together fight scenes. This is a tapestry dedicated to action classics, not only for the sake of tribute, but also woven into the storyline of the contest at Greendale Community College. Whatever your opinion about Fast and Furious Franchise, Lin’s talent is undeniable, and this episode of Community is proof that a director can go the extra mile.