“If it violates the laws of god and gravity, they did it twice.”
Forget the shark. There was never a shark. The Fast and Furious franchise jumped Leviathan. Then they kept looking for bigger adventures. It’s been 22 years since we started living life a quarter mile at a time. Over two decades we haven’t wanted to stop once. From then until today, we ride with our hands on the wheel, our hearts on the ceiling, and our fears on the floor. Why? It’s so easy to explain, as my colleague Julian Lytle says, “These are multicultural superheroes.” or if you prefer a quote from the new Fast X movie, “If it violates the laws of god and gravity, they did it twice.” Both those statements are true.
Before The Avengers, with far greater diversity—and you can forgive me or nah—with far greater heart, The Fast and The Furious remixed everything we loved about Point Break* and made it for “us.” Those of us who mostly played the background when the big actioners hit theaters. Not this time. This franchise gave us heroes on the level of the Shonen anime that we also love. We could see ourselves in these characters, our heroic fantasies, our desires to triumph over adversity, and our found families. And with Vin Diesel, Justin Lin (primarily), and this cast at the helm, The Fast franchise is “for us, by us”—We the people. Our love isn’t a mystery, it’s expected and it’s earned. This series truly is about family (not only the ones on the set or the screen) they gave us a seat at the table too.
“The days when one man behind the wheel of a car can make a difference are over.”
– Director Aimes (Alan Ritchson)
And once again it’s on. We’re fueling up for more of the ferocious fantasy and fantastical physics of The Fast and Furious franchise. Up next is Fast X. The tenth movie in the series and another breakneck, high-octane, non-stop, family-driven, physics-defying, festival of the most gorgeously entertaining spectacle possible. Or actually impossible, because you can’t do any of this unless, like the cast, you have faith.
We start with our family at another one of their backyard barbeques. Abuelita (the beloved Rita Moreno) is there to bless the table. Meanwhile, Roman (Tyrese Gibson) is preparing to lead a mission to Rome with Tej (Ludacris), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), and Han (Sung Kang), as a safety net. The idea of Roman as team leader probably means things are going to swing sideways, but Dom (Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are satisfied to let hijinks happen while they stay at home with their son Little B (Leo Abelo Perry) and work on cars. Or course, contentment cannot be allowed and the villainous Cipher (Charlize Theron) shows up on their doorstep leaking blood like antifreeze.
Here’s the thing. If Cipher is scared enough to run for the safety of the Toretto homestead, who spooked the baddies? Time for a flashback to everyone’s favorite Fast movie. Which one? I plead the fifth. Way back when in Fast Five, you know the one, when Dom and Brian (Paul Walker) played Double Dutch with a giant safe while demolishing the streets of Rio De Janeiro. The safe belonged to Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), a bad guy our squad mud-stomped into oblivion. But just like the franchise when revenge comes for them, it’s all about family.
“Never accept death as down payment when suffering is due.”
–Reyes
The next time we hear that quote it’s been translated by a new villain. “Never accept death when suffering is owed,” those are the words that Dante (Jason Momoa) lives by and the Toretto Family is about to learn he lives all out—by destroying everything they care about and giggling maniacally while doing it. Y’all, the style, the rizz, the drip, the pizazz and vicious audacity of this villain is art. Jason Momoa wants you to forget all others and remember only Dante as the author of Fast and Furious mayhem. Flowers!
Elsewhere, the Nobody Family is back in play with a cameo from Little Nobody () and the introduction of Tess Nobody (Brie Larson). Mr. Nobody is still missing or in hiding and we’re wondering where that storyline might lead. The Shaws are back too. Queenie (Helen Mirren) returns with the good advice only a Gangster Mom can give, and you’ve seen Deckard (Jason Statham )in the trailers. He’s ready to dig some graves and he’s such a good undertaker.
I said it before but I need to say it again, Fast X is a breakneck, high-octane, non-stop, family-driven, physics-defying, festival of gorgeously entertaining spectacle. At one point, The Family plays streetball with a giant bomb. Who does that? My most beloved franchise of all time did that (okay, that might be hyperbole but the love is real) and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more if the theater pumped in laughing gas and french fries.
The women aren’t relegated to girl fights and looking fabulous, they eat men, like candy, and they crunch on them bones. Joy! John Cena returns as Jacob, the fun uncle, and goes on an adventure with Little Brian that includes a cannon car. Glee! The action sequences, the loyalty, the betrayal, the jokes, the fingernail painting. Immaculate!
When talking about Lethal Weapon, Joel Silver said the key to a successful, long-running franchise is to bring everybody back. Even the folks from Craft Services. The Fast and Furious franchise wants Silver to hold their NOS (nitrous oxide), bringing it in and going beyond is what they do. That is why I am tossing gravity-defying confetti at this series; May it never come down.
Oh, and be ready for some surprises.
Score: B
* Hands up if you want Keanu Reeves to show up in The Fast and Furious franchise as Johnny Utah or some mysterious guy named “Johnny” who was sent by Mr. Nobody as the cavalry?
