FAMILY.
The latest addition to the Fast and Furious franchise brings back Dominic Toretto and his family. While some may argue that the franchise is running out of ideas, it is commendable that they continue to strive for success despite having released several movies in the past that could have served as a fitting conclusion.
To come up with new content, they opted to revisit the past and fabricate a villain out of nothing, a technique they have utilized in the past. Jason Momoa portrays Dante Reyes, the offspring of Hernan Reyes, a drug kingpin who met his demise in Fast Five (courtesy of The Rock, but that’s a story for later).
I really enjoyed Momoa’s performance in Fast X. He reminded me of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight. Although it may not necessarily align with the Fast and Furious franchise, his character added an entertaining twist to the movie. Additionally, his dynamic with Dom had a similar Batman-Joker feel to it.
Apart from Momoa, the other elements seem somewhat unimpressive. The humor falls with its usual wit and punch, while the car scenes lack the same creativity and energy. Additionally, the fight scenes appear overly choreographed.
In movies, we expect Dom to perform superhuman actions, but it would be better if they were spaced out. In this particular movie, he starts off with such unbelievable feats that it becomes hard to stay engaged after a while.
Looking back, the creators did their best when Paul Walker passed away. However, I think keeping Mia as a character was a mistake. It seems strange when she’s shown beating up trained assassins while her husband Brian is nowhere to be found.
It’s unclear if there’s a viable solution to this issue. While it’s possible to have Brian’s character killed off screen, the filmmakers feel that this would be disrespectful to his legacy. Recasting the role is also not an option. As a result, we are left with movies where Brian’s family and even his wife are in perilous situations without him. As viewers, we may need to overlook this inconsistency in light of what happened in real life, but it’s becoming more noticeable with each new film.
Overall there are worst ways to spend a Friday night or Saturday afternoon, but it becoming clear that the franchise that was known for its cars is starting to run out of gas.
6.5 out of 10 BSO Stars.
