“Never accept death when suffering is owed.”
So I think it safe to say that when it comes to the Fast and Furious franchise, it is no longer about cars or street racing anymore. In the beginning it felt like we were getting a window into a secret underground world that spanned multiple continents. However, I would say that is no longer the case. Dom and his family have gone legit. Not only have they gone legit, but they now unofficially work for the government in some capacity. No, it is no longer about the cars and street racing anymore. In fact, I would go as far as to say that we aren’t tuning in to see them use their skills on the behalf of the government either. There is one thing that keeps us coming back for more. We want to see what over-the-top, outrageous, death-defying, impossible stuff they are going to do next. At least that is what got me in the seat. In the last couple years, we’ve watched Dom and his family do things that may be theoretically possible, but that we know to be ridiculous. I mean, we watched them go to space in a Pontiac Fiero just a movie ago. Needless to say, this franchise has pushed the boundaries of what we know to be possible, and they’ve done it in a fashion that keeps us coming back for more.
However, it seems that we are now approaching the precipice for this franchise, as Fast X spells the beginning of the end for the franchise. Fret not, as there are still two more films to come to provide the franchise a proper conclusion. In the case of this film, that turns about to be a good and bad thing. It’s good because it means that we still have something to look forward to. More seemingly impossible stunts to witness. However, it is a bad thing, because this film ends on a cliffhanger, which means that we will be left in suspense for quite some time before we know how it resolves.
Last we saw Dom and his family they’d effectively saved the day again. I’ve actually lost count how many times they’ve done that. As always, we are treated to a family barbecue, and that is how this film also chooses to start out, this time with a previously unknown member of the Toretto family. For Dom’s part, he is content; he and Letty are married and live a life of contentment in his family home, where they are raising his son. After so much turmoil, he finally has the life that it appears he always wanted. Naturally that can’t last. Dom and his family have made a lot of enemies while setting things right. Some they’ve managed to convert to their side, but most that still harbor a grudge. This adds to the surprise when one of those enemies knocks on his door in need of his help. This was a great way to pull him back into the fold. To have Cipher, the woman that ordered the death of Elena, the biological mother to Dom’s son, come to him for help enhanced the severity of the threat that the group faced. Up until this point, Cipher had been one of the biggest threat to Dom and his family. For her to warn him of a threat bigger than her carried serious weight.
Enter Jason Momoa, Fast X big bad. When I initially heard of his casting, I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I love Jason Momoa. I have all his albums. That is my attempt at humor; I know he is an actor and not a musician. Diehard Momoa fans, please don’t stone me. But in all seriousness, I’ve watched Momoa for years, and to my mind, he hasn’t disappointed yet. However, I was concerned that he would be pigeonholed into the roll of a revenge-seeking villain. His backstory didn’t fill me with confidence either. Making him the son of the villain from Fast Five just felt like a clumsy attempt to insert him into the franchise’s universe. And then he stepped onto the screen as Dante Reyes, and all my reservations evaporated.
Momoa without question is the best thing to happen to the Fast and Furious franchise in a long time. He is the villain that they need to take things to the next level. Not only is he ruthless and bloodthirsty (and I mean that literally; he actually licked the blood of one of his victims off his knife). Not only is he smart and calculating as he outwits Dom and the others at every turn; he’s hilarious. Somehow, Momoa found a way to deliver a villain who bucks the traditional stereotypes; he also injected humor into the role, by making his guy fun-loving in a sadistic kind of way. It was a hair-thin line to tread, but he did it and made it look natural. This is the big bad the franchise needed.
Dante’s plan is clever and leads back to the quote at the top of this review. He wants to make Dom suffer, and I can attest that the does just that as he starts to strip everything that Dom loves away from him. It made for a very engaging and intriguing story. There are some elements that are bothersome. For one, it is safe to say that no one really dies in this franchise, as another character was resurrected this time around. To my count, this marks the third resurrection of a main character. To be fair, another character did perish this time around, so I suppose it balances out in a cosmic sense. However, I just don’t see how they are going to justify this one.
In summation, Fast X may possibly be my favorite of the franchise thus far. The story quality of this one was the best of the bunch in my opinion. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the leaks which ruined what would have amounted as a mind-blowing reveal in the after-credits scene. For the sake of those who may still be in the dark, I won’t ruin it for them. I’ll only say that I wish I hadn’t known beforehand, because it would have made the cameo all the sweeter.
