Fast X Review – Star-Studded with Fluff, Jason Momoa proves to be a capable villain

Here’s my Fast X review which is now playing in cinemas distributed by Universal Pictures PH and stars Vin Diesel, Jason Momoa, John Cena, Michelle Rodriguez and more.

Before we proceed there will be minor spoilers here.

Dominic Torretto and his family are back for the tenth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise and this time they face an enemy that has ties to a past adventure and actually lets us see a worried and fearful Dom.

The Louis Letterier-directed picture is a fun high-octane run filled with awesome visuals, great fight scenes and some truly cringe dialogue.

I love the Fast & Furious movies and after Fast and Furious 9 I was already expecting that they would wrap it up and go out with a bang. And it looks like they didn’t just plan on going out with a bang they setup a three-step rocket launch to the stratosphere starting with Fast X.

Jason Momoa gives us a different side here and I’m all for it. He’s not just crazy but also they manage to show how deadly he could be. As Dante Reyes he is the anti-thesis to Dom’s principles about having family. This kooky man not only knows how to push buttons, play the long game and is living proof that you don’t need family to achieve your plans.

Dante is a looney tune character in the vein of Wile E. Cayote with additional quirks and a lot of attitude and sass.

I liked Vin Diesel’s performance here more so than the past installments. For once we see a family man constantly worried for the safety of his friends and family. You can see it in his face this time. And maybe its him growing older that let’s him show his softer side when he acts as opposed to this stoic driver we’ve come to know and bregrudingly love.

The two hour plus movie follows a number of plot lines which is surprisingly easy to follow. Not only do they have various threads, they also reintroduce characters to improve on the crazy plot.

I’m also glad that they found the right balance for Brian Walker’s absence while paying tribute to the late Paul Walker without being mopey about it.

I’m a tad disappointed with Charlize Theron’s Cypher in this picture. So after 2 movies where she’s the villain, we’re expected to accept her into the fold? I did like how she and Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty are forced to work together and will probably join up with Dom in the next movie to take down Dante.

Speaking of Michelle Rodriguez, she takes the backseat in giving acting and takes command of her own action sequences and plot points which I really liked. And bonus points for making fights more believable as she’s not taking down Ronda Rousey this time. Got mad respect for the gal too after her awesome appearance in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.

Kudos too to the new cast members here like Alan Ritchson and Brie Larson who are both connected to the mysterious “Agency”. Both have great roles in varying ways and they worked for me (with some suspension of disbelief thrown in). The Smallville Aquaman and Titans star plays Ames, the new replacement for Kurt Russell’s Mr. Nobody and deadset in capturing Torretto without spoiling much, let’s just say he’s got some hidden agenda in the works.

Then there’s Tess, the daughter of Mr. Nobody who follows in her father’s footsteps and one of the top believers in Dom and his family. And while Larson has become sort of infamous for her off-camera shenanigans, her role here is very wholesome and I dig that.

The rest of the family are also on their own separate adventure here and you’ll like how they plot things out. So the usual team of Tej (Ludacris), Roman Pierce (Tyreese Gibson) and Ramsay (Nathalie Emmanuel) together with the returning Han (Sung Kang) are tricked into going on a mission that sets them up as a terrorists. Not only do they barely escape from Rome, their resources are also stolen and used for Dante’s other plans. This is the story beat where Roman Pierce really shines as a character, you could say he’s going through major character development.

Han also gets some form of closure when he meets up with Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw which we already saw in F9’s post-credit scenes. And while its neither touching or interesting, it does serve the plot of making the two best buds all of a sudden because in the world of Fast & Furious, the only real way to get things out and squash some beef is by punching each other or beating people up together.

Action Sequences

If you’re watching this for the action scenes and insane car chases then you’ll be satisfied and they don’t even have promises of super outrageous stuff like going to space (which they already did). There was one scene here that made me realize that we want a Fast x Transformers crossover and that would be epic.

Not a fan of constantly revisiting Fast Five but that’s part of the pains we need to deal with to tell this story.

It’s All Star for a Reason

One of the biggest reasons why Fast X is must-watch popcorn cinema for me is just the number of returning characters. Not only do they have regular cast members and extended appearances plus new ones but they also brought back two characters who I won’t spoil is. Just know that one will make you happy and the other appearance will leave you scratching your head but that’s totally fine because it would lead to some interesting stuff in the next installment.

Fast X Post-Credits?

Yes there is a Fast X post-credit scene that will definitely hype up things. Let’s just say that the hierarchy of power will change in the F&F universe.

Verdict: 

8/10

Fast X is a fun romp just like past installments. You’ll be there to cheer and be amazed and see what super impossible things they can do with cars. It tempers down on insanity but you can clearly see that they are trying to return to their roots. This big tentpole piece also has a ton of cameos and returning characters promising a bigger and cooler 11th and possibly 12th installment.

Here’s Vinni’s quick review as well for the film:

After the outrageous eighth and ninth installments, Fast X goes back to a personal story driven narrative that still provides set pieces, guaranteeing a thrill ride in the cinema. 7/10.

And in case you want to win passes to see Fast X for free click HERE.

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