Fast X – Another Review

29th May 2023

Fast X – Another Review.

As the film opened to a replay of a sequence from ‘Fast Five’, I couldn’t help but think how much the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise has changed since its introduction in 2001. What started as ‘Point Break’, with underground street racing, has turned into a superhero series; not only does the franchise now try to up the stunts with each entry, but it also adds another huge star to its already massive cast. Furthermore, it even rivals Marvel with the number of characters that return from the dead, the most recent being Han (Sung Kang – Obi Wan Kenobi, Fast & Furious 6) who returned in F9. And, whilst the franchise is ridiculous, it’s a lot of fun and the latest entry is no exception.

‘Fast X’ continues the fast-paced lives of the ever-growing Family lead by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel – Bloodshot, Guardians of the Galaxy). But a new psychopathic villain threatens to tear Toretto’s life and family apart.

The franchise is also good at retconning its own narrative. The scene where a vault is dragged across the highway by Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker – Fast & Furious 7, Hustlers) is shown to have been owned by a ruthless drug lord and his newly revealed son Dante (Jason Momoa – Aquaman, Dune) who serves as this entry’s villain. And, while other aspects of the film shine, Momoa is the best part of ‘Fast X’. With each entry, the focal villain either grows crazier or sillier and Dante is the former in the best way. Jason Momoa does a fantastic job at portraying a psychopath who wants revenge for what previously occurred, and he’s clearly having fun here. While he gleefully drives through the 2-hour 20-minute runtime like a child in a sweet shop, he’s also the first villain in the franchise to actually appear threatening. This is something that is welcomed in a franchise filled with resurrected characters, crazy and impossible stunts and cartoon-like villains. Plus, the threats that he gives to Dominic and his Family are shown more than told, further enthusing how much of a threat Dante can be. There are real stakes here compared to previous entries and it was a welcome aspect.

And Jason Momoa isn’t the only new addition to the franchise: Brie Larson (Captain Marvel) also makes an appearance as a new member of the Agency HQ, the organization that was previously led by Mr Nobody (Kurt Russell – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Escape From L.A.). But, while her character has potential, the writing doesn’t give her a lot of screentime unfortunately. Brie Larson is a fantastic actress and her character arc of going behind Agency HQ’s back and helping the Family is interesting. But, with the multiple side plots throughout the film, Larson doesn’t get enough screentime to truly become an important, or meaningful, part of the story which is a shame. This issue also extends to Roman (Tyrese Gibson – Morbius, Fast & Furious 9) and Tej (Ludacris – 2 Fast 2 Furious). While these have been divisive, I always found them charming and a fitting comic relief. But, once again, these two characters barely have any screentime, making their scenes appear pointless. This is especially a shame considering both characters have been a Family member since ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’. The film tries to develop Roman’s character, this time as a leader, but it is ultimately forgotten about.

An aspect I did enjoy regarding the Family was Agency HQ’s newly appointed CEO and his opinion of them. Played by Alan Ritchson (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), the new CEO Aimes takes over after Mr Nobody’s disappearance and immediately calls the Family out as terrorists and a danger to the general public. This was the best way to execute this plotline and essentially hold a mirror up to the main characters. While the franchise is filled with enjoyable car chase sequences and a ton of action scenes, the Family do also endanger lives with their dangerous driving, something that has received backlash for a long time now. So, this was a well-executed plot that ultimately served as Aimes’ story arc to an extent: to stop the Family from causing more destruction.

And, while I could talk about the acting, the fight and car chase sequences themselves, they are a staple within a franchise that has been speeding along for 12 years. Therefore, a certain quality is to be expected and that expectation certainly delivers. While there weren’t any notable stunts that were crazier than the ninth entry (where does it go after putting a car in space?!), the action scenes are extremely enjoyable. It is a shame to see Brie Larson, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris pushed to the side-line, but this is ultimately Jason Momoa’s opportunity to truly shine, and he easily steals the show. If you’ve stuck with the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise for 12 years, then this is just as enjoyable as the previous entries.

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