Fast X is the latest in the Fast and Furious franchise. It is also the first in the franchise to end on a cliffhanger. This caught me off-guard in the theater. I had no idea this would be the first of a two-parter. In seems like they're going for a Marvel/Harry Potter sort of finale. Every entry in this franchise since Fast Five felt like it would be the last one, yet it wasn't. Here we might actually be entering the endgame, which I hope we are. These guys aren't getting any younger, and the franchise has been in danger of becoming stale for the last couple entries.
I've been a fan of this series since Fast Five. I like the first and fourth films okay, but it was the first one that really drew me in. Furious Six is actually my personal favorite. Seven and eight are okay, as well as Hobbs and Shaw. F9 I like, though not as much as some of the others, mainly due to the absence of The Rock.
At this point, you should know what you're in for with these movies. These movies are not high art. They're pure popcorn entertainment. There's a bit of character development to keep you invested, but mainly these films are about the spectacle. If you're a critic watching the tenth Fast move complaining it's not an Oscar caliber drama you need to get your priorities straight. They're about nice cars, fan service, the themes of family and honor, a catchy soundtrack, great effects and cinematography, nice locations, and of course fun, high-octane, ludicrous action set pieces (pun intended).
Fast X hits all of those beats. Although, none of the action ever reaches the same level of craziness as the previous film. That's another reason why I hope this franchise ends after the next film. We are now at the escalation problem. Each entry has continuously escalated the stakes and action. In the last film they went into space. Short of an alien invasion, there really isn't anywhere left for this franchise to go without becoming standard and stale. We've seen that happen with Marvel in these past few years. In my opinion, the last couple Mission Impossible film have felt that way.
There are also other staples of this franchise present that have annoyed me for years. The film, like all the rest, is longer than is needed, with too many subplots. The fact that everything is interconnected. Each antagonist is either directly related to Toretto or directly related to a past villain. Each time a past major antagonist becomes either a good guy or an anti-hero. Last but not least, people can't stay dead. Death means about as much in this franchise as it does in Dragon Ball. A character can supposedly die in one movie, but they return for nonsense reasons a couple film later. We see that yet again in this one. Despite the cliffhanger at the end, I have literally no fear for anyone's life in this. No one ever dies.
The best thing about this film for me, other than the action, is Jason Momoa as the villain. I will say, he's probably the best villain in the history of this franchise, which is mostly due to Momoa's natural charisma, much like The Rock has. I still miss The Rock, but Momoa's presence evens things out for me.
Overall, there is quite a bit to take issue with. But I still found the film fun. The film looks great, with amazing action, like all the past several Fast films. And I'm a bit excited for how this seemingly final story arc ends. If you're a fan of the franchise I think this is a must watch.
I've been a fan of this series since Fast Five. I like the first and fourth films okay, but it was the first one that really drew me in. Furious Six is actually my personal favorite. Seven and eight are okay, as well as Hobbs and Shaw. F9 I like, though not as much as some of the others, mainly due to the absence of The Rock.
At this point, you should know what you're in for with these movies. These movies are not high art. They're pure popcorn entertainment. There's a bit of character development to keep you invested, but mainly these films are about the spectacle. If you're a critic watching the tenth Fast move complaining it's not an Oscar caliber drama you need to get your priorities straight. They're about nice cars, fan service, the themes of family and honor, a catchy soundtrack, great effects and cinematography, nice locations, and of course fun, high-octane, ludicrous action set pieces (pun intended).
Fast X hits all of those beats. Although, none of the action ever reaches the same level of craziness as the previous film. That's another reason why I hope this franchise ends after the next film. We are now at the escalation problem. Each entry has continuously escalated the stakes and action. In the last film they went into space. Short of an alien invasion, there really isn't anywhere left for this franchise to go without becoming standard and stale. We've seen that happen with Marvel in these past few years. In my opinion, the last couple Mission Impossible film have felt that way.
There are also other staples of this franchise present that have annoyed me for years. The film, like all the rest, is longer than is needed, with too many subplots. The fact that everything is interconnected. Each antagonist is either directly related to Toretto or directly related to a past villain. Each time a past major antagonist becomes either a good guy or an anti-hero. Last but not least, people can't stay dead. Death means about as much in this franchise as it does in Dragon Ball. A character can supposedly die in one movie, but they return for nonsense reasons a couple film later. We see that yet again in this one. Despite the cliffhanger at the end, I have literally no fear for anyone's life in this. No one ever dies.
The best thing about this film for me, other than the action, is Jason Momoa as the villain. I will say, he's probably the best villain in the history of this franchise, which is mostly due to Momoa's natural charisma, much like The Rock has. I still miss The Rock, but Momoa's presence evens things out for me.
Overall, there is quite a bit to take issue with. But I still found the film fun. The film looks great, with amazing action, like all the past several Fast films. And I'm a bit excited for how this seemingly final story arc ends. If you're a fan of the franchise I think this is a must watch.