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When I saw in the trailers that Jason Momoa is the spotlight in Fast X, I knew he’d have fun with however he’d get cast. As a result, I didn’t rush to go see it in theatres. Instead, I opted to wait for this latest entry to the Fast and Furious franchise to hit streaming services. Although what happens is very formulaic, I’m generally okay with the shift in focus from street-racing to super spy romps that James Bond would never say no to taking on.
And as for whether I’m still invested, I might as well enjoy the ride to the end. The post credits teaser was enough to keep me interested. Although that returning character won’t be part of the main films based on the latest industry reports, that can easily change as the script is still being crafted.
In this entry, the leader of the pack is framed, and it’s not just the government after him. A new bad guy is introduced, and Dante (Mamoa) has daddy issues. After Toretto (Vin Diesel) killed his pops sometime back, he wants revenge. It’s funny to see him spend his father’s drug money fortune to go chasing after him! While the crazy stunts deliver in giving what fans want, the movie felt like a mash up of your standard spy film with the board game Car Wars added on top, and then cranked up to eleven!
But alas, the thrill of why I loved the early films got lost a long time ago. Although Mamoa carries this film, that’s a lot of responsibility to put on his shoulder. It’s like Vin Diesel knows he doesn’t have the same star power as before. To see him depend on these big names to help keep this franchise going isn’t terrible when you got great action stars involved, but there has to be a balancing act to stay true to the franchise’s humble beginnings and be a perfect follow-up.
I wanted Jakob (John Cena) to be more involved and what he got for screen time felt short. Unlike Guardians of the Galaxy, Mantis started off small, but grew into becoming a fan favourite and being equally important. Here, just how Jakob remains is relatively minor. I hope he’ll have more to do in the last two films.
As for the finale, let’s hope what’s planned isn’t dragged out, otherwise what’s truly fast and furious may well be a bumpy ride. If this series is to make the victory lap, the last films need to go back to the basics.
3 Stars out of 5
Fast X – 10 Minute Trailer
