So long as there are laws of physics to break, the ‘Fast and the Furious’ franchise will always have a home on the big screen.
‘Fast X’ is the latest in a lengthy list of sequels that are becoming harder and harder to tell apart, simply because this is the same exercise re-designed with obnoxious, no-way-in-hell-that’s-possible stunts. Add in Vin Diesel intermittently grunting about “family”, and boom!…..another chapter, fresh n’ ready to go.
As ridiculously stupid as it is ridiculously entertaining, ‘Fast X’, the tenth installment of the series for those keeping count (they went all Roman Numerals on us, kinda like the Super Bowl), has hero Dominic Toretto (Diesel), an ex-con turned street racer turned international super dude, returns to tangle with Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), the son of the drug lord Dom and his team flattened back in ‘Fast Five’. If you don’t remember, don’t worry….’Fast Five’ looked just like four, six, seven and eight. Maybe nine, I don’t know…..again, they all look and feel the same to me.
And really, ‘Fast X’ won’t do much to stand out from the pack, even though they do hit the gas as far as going bigger, louder and more….well, furious. Most of the gang is back, including Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Mia (Jordana Brewster), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Ludaris), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Han (Sung Kang), Jakob (John Cena), plus Greg, Peter, Bobby, Marsha, Jan and Cindy. I know there are probably a few there who don’t belong, but honestly, with so many shoot outs, fist fights, bombs, and car chases, would you be able to tell??
I suppose Momoa’s psychotic and, for lack of a better term, flamboyant villain is the defining facet of this one. And, truth be told, he tries too hard. I love Aquaman as much as the next film fan, but you’re simply not going to steal any scenes when you’re surrounded by a dizzying collection of overhead shots and aerial views of both combat and million dollar vehicular carnage that are designed to hog attention. The last time this many cars took flight, they all had Hot Wheels branded on them.
The formula used here is one that honestly defies logic; assault audiences with elaborate, adrenaline-pumping action, swat them over the noggin with third-grade play dialogue at the same time, and bring back as many supporting characters as possible, a group made up of so many famous faces you’re left to only say, “how???”. I can’t believe stars like Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell, Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, Rita Moreno and others agreed to be part of this cheese-filled parade – but then, I can’t believe that Diesel’s suspension doesn’t crack in half with what he puts his poor car through, so what do I know?
In the end, like pretty much every other ‘Fast and the Furious’ movie, ‘Fast X’ is essentially review proof. Don’t like it? This group doesn’t care, and the box office is on THEIR side. Which means they’ll ride again, and again, and again, and again, and….