Warning: the following article contains spoilers for Fast X
Let’s just clear up a few points first. Yes, the Fast & Furious franchise lost its grip on reality a while back. Coming from revved-up street racing ventures, the series turned into elaborate heists and espionage – along with increasing the absurdity and ridiculousness in the action and firepower. They started with colliding cars and racing on nitro boosts. Then fifteen years later, they were blowing up nuclear submarines. And then, in Fast 9: The Fast Saga, they notched up the over-the-top limits and sent a car into space. Not only was that a bad idea, but it could have been better put into the weak script, further dumbed down by the extraordinarily impossible technological advancements at the team’s hand. Yet, it still goes on. Ironically, Fast X addresses the God and gravity-defying deeds the team executed, as pointed out by the new Agency chief, Aimes (Alan Ritchson).
I went to Fast X, knowing it would eventually disappoint, but I was curious enough to see what plans this film is setting up for the franchise’s end. And even in all its absurd development and showcase of insanely pumped-up firepower – I had fun. And there are several reasons to enjoy and experience Louis Leterrier’s grand action film that lives to serve the series’ fans with an anticipation-fueling script that, in turn, will be the beginning of the culminating trilogy.
The opening sequence – A pinch of nostalgia
Fast X begins with a hint of nostalgia and callbacks to a fairly detailed chase sequence from Fast Five repurposed with a de-aged Jason Momoa. It takes us to the finer days of the franchise, and Paul Walker appears in archival footage, making him an integral part of the story. Fast Five was the franchise’s first stint in the heist-thriller genre and was well-received for bringing Dwayne Johnson to the fold. It also had a premise that included less extravagance regarding stunts, action, and weaponry. Though each Fast & Furious film finds ways, often bizarre ones, to link back to the previous films, as they did in the case of Han in F9; Fast X does it with a more action-packed sequence, relating the blast from the past to the new ride.
Then, after a little juggle with Toretto’s ‘familial preachings’ and barbeque meetings, Momoa’s Dante Reyes intrudes into the ‘family’s’ life through an unanticipated twist thrown at you right at the beginning. A moment of utter unexpectedness warns Dom of an imminent threat upon him. And since this particular segment comes before the action begins, trust me, it raises interest to greater levels before the real deal commences.
Jason Momoa improves Fast & Furious antagonist problems
Jason Momoa primarily helps Fast X stay afloat. For years, Cipher (Charlize Theron), Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), and Brixton Lore (Idris Elba) have played F&F villains but have not been as good as he is. A de-aged Momoa makes his debut in a scene that retcons his character into the franchise, which puts him straight into the action. A ruthless sociopath, Momoa wears funky colorful clothes, makes unusually weird movements, celebrates explosions, and murders for fun. For once, an antagonist is one step ahead of Team Toretto. He has plans.
Seeking revenge for his father’s death, Dante will trick, deceit, and kill to go after Dom and the rest without worrying about the mayhem his actions shall leave behind. Will Dom, Letty, Mia, Jakob, Tej, Roman, Ramsey, and Han survive the threat? That’s the premise. And even though he is fuelled by vengeance, Momoa is quirky, a brat, and extraordinarily crazy. In the highly energetic and dramatic adventure, Momoa blends his real-life and off-screen enthusiasm with Dante’s deranged and unhinged personality and creates some mad fun.
Breaking up the family
After a long while, Fast & Furious takes place on several fronts. In the beginning, Han, Ramsey, Tej, and Roman are drawn into a trap, leaving Dom and Letty alone alongside Mia to tackle Dante. Taking advantage, Dante wreaks havoc upon Dom while simultaneously playing his other moves against the rest of the team. And exploring a third front, the film focuses on Jakob and Dom’s son, Brian, trying to escape the dangers Dante has set up in their path. Eventually, the film reunites these three fronts at the end, leading to the cliffhanger Fast X finishes up with. It’s nothing unique that Fast X tries here by breaking up the narrative on three fronts. But, for this particular franchise, it brings something fresh to how the story unfolds amidst all the action and sways away from the stagnant narrative the series has followed lately.
Nonsensical bizarreness is entertaining
I admit. Fast X is as bizarre as its predecessors. There’s high-functioning tech, futuristically-modified cars, and gravity-defying chase sequences, which, of course, are exaggerated by explosions. And since F9 already took the team to space, they had to get helicopters crashing down by the force of a car. This isn’t even a spoiler. Fast X gives out almost all of such sequences in the trailer itself. There is nothing that makes sense. The survivability of the team after undergoing severe crashes and collisions remains intact. But you can’t ever break Dom’s ‘family.’ It’s a ride you must only strap on to if you’re willing to leave your brain at the door. What matters is the exhilaration of these sequences. In that aspect, Fast X is a substantial upgrade to the previous entry in the series.
Even in the ridiculous action, Fast X leaves a feeling of enticement and generates an enthusiastic vibe. If you can let go of the urge to comment on and analyze every visual, you’ll find fun in the absurdity of it all. It’s the visuals that attract you and make you cheer for another fight that the family must win. Fast X doesn’t tone down the exaggeration when it comes to the heavy-duty vehicles and the weaponry. But, by focusing more on the rivalry subplot and refining the VFX work, it’s very much possible for the film to entertain.
Fast X doesn’t try to turn in a new wave of audiences
Fast X doesn’t try to bring much newness to the series, and surprisingly, the idea works in its favor. The franchise has a strong base of fans seeking a fun theatrical experience and find literal entertainment. Therefore, the film doesn’t focus on converting new fans for the franchise. The audience doesn’t care about butchering science and logic, they only want to see a new danger or panicked situation that Dom and his team are thrown into. And this time, with Jason Momoa in the fold, that situation can’t get more thrilling.
Fans want the cars to blow up, helicopters to crash down, and have Dom and others brush themselves off after diving out of a fireball. Whatever happens, no one will turn their heads to challenge the plot or the narrative. Everyone knows the intent here is to gather the fans and strap them in for another pumped-up adventure. And Fast X profoundly fulfills that purpose.
Most of the fans won’t revisit the film when it goes to streaming. Because following your first viewing, you lose the elements of surprise, shock, and thrill. But, for that one-time entertainment, Fast X is the perfect escape from reality into a ridiculous yet exciting world filled with engines revving up around every corner.
The ultimate cameos
I probably didn’t feel as excited for surprise cameos in the Marvel films as in the ones in Fast X, which features its fair share of them, and the return of two fan-favorite characters. You know which ones I am talking about. Though these cameos didn’t add much to Fast X, but they are enough to hype up the sequels and create further excitement for the subplots that may explain their return.
At the end of the film, a submarine emerges from the depths of icy waters, and on top of it is a woman holding binoculars. While the who theater expects it to be Brie Larson’s Tess or possibly Jordana Brewstar’s Mia Toretto – it’s revealed to be Gal Gadot’s Gisele Yasher. Yasher dies at the end of Fast & Furious 6 without ever returning. Now the franchise must explain her years of absence and the sudden return alongside one of the series’ primary antagonists. It’s probably not going to make sense, but Gadot’s cameo drew a lot of cheers in the theater.
Also returning is Dwayne Johnson as Luke Hobbs. Johnson has put aside his differences with Vin, and now he is next in line to be on the receiving end of Dante Reyes’ wrath, seeing as it was Luke who actually pulled the trigger on his father. Though Black Adam and Aquaman couldn’t face off in DCEU, this coincidental cross-franchise fight may satiate disgruntled DCEU fans.
Just like F9 used Han to invite people to a grand opening, these two will have likely cause Part XI of the franchise to become an instant hit with the fans.
The beginning of the end
Fast X is the (keep up with us here), first film in the final trilogy that will shape the end of the franchise. Earlier pitched as the first segment of a two-part finale, the main series of F&F will now comprise twelve films, with the last two films in the works simultaneously. Hence, Fast X ends on a cliffhanger, leaving room to unravel the story across the three films. Unlike previous movies, Fast X ends without answering any questions and instead raises new ones, paving the way for the eleventh part. There are characters’ fates we don’t know and too many setups that cliffhanger of an ending leaves the audience with. Fast X promises a grand culmination and an adventurous ride toward the finish line of the franchise.
Now, it’s up to director Louis Leterrier and the cast not to deliberately increase the scale of the next film. Of course, being a Fast & Furious movie, it has to upgrade itself; however, those upgrades in the scale of emotions, setting, and action mustn’t feel forced. For now, the way Fast X ends may not push the audience for a second viewing, but it surely will attract them to the next installment.
Fast X is intended to be a mass entertainer. Yes, some franchises have continued for more entries than Fast & Furious, and they still make sense, having left those doors for broader appeal and adventurous action. The focus on fan following is reflected in the difference between the franchise’s critical consensus and audience viewership. Over the years, they turned the adventure into a visual gimmick, which has resulted in the franchise being dumbed down. But Fast X brings back the fun even amidst the ridiculous elements of its narrative.
Hence, people may willingly ignore the lack of creativity in Fast X but will surely enjoy experiencing it on the big screen regardless.