FAST X
(director: Louis Leterrier; screenwriters: Gary Scott Thompson/story & screenplay by Justin Lin & Dan Mazeau; cinematographer: Stephen F. Windon; editors: Dylan Highsmith/Kelly Matsumoto; music: Brian Tyler; cast: Vin Diesel (Dom Toretto), Tyrese Gibson (Roman), Michelle Rodriguez (Letty Ortiz), Jordana Brewster (Mia), Jason Momoa (Dante), Nathalie Emmanuel (Ramsey), Ludacris (Tej), John Cena (Jakob), Sung Kang (Han), Scott Eastwood (Little Nobody), Daniela Melchior (Isabel), Alan Ritchson (Ames), Helen Mirren (Queenie), Brie Larson (Tess), Rita Moreno (Abuelita), Peter Davidson (Bowie), Jason Statham (Shaw), Charlize Theron (Cipher), Leo Abelo Perry (Little Brian); Runtime: 141; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producers: Neal H. Moritz/Vin Diesel/Justin Lin/Jeff Kirschenbaum/Samantha Vincent; Universal; 2023)
“The popular, durable and money-making car-driven franchise, that started in 2001.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
Vin Diesel is in his 10th film in the popular, durable and money-making car-driven franchise, that started in 2001 and has grown more and more tiresome over the years. It’s directed by French filmmaker Louis Leterrier (“The Takedown”/”The Brothers Grimsby”) with the fear if he takes his foot off the gas pedal the film will slow down and never speed up again. The gas-fumed story and screenplay is by Justin Lin and Dan Mazeau, with Gary Scott Thompson being sort of the spare part writer.
This version caters to its loyal fan base cravings for continuous action no matter how stupid it is, and this film gives them even more craziness and more action than in the prior flicks. In fact, it gives them more characters, more stunts, more explosions, more chases, and more locations (such as in Rome, London, and in Rio). This franchise is made for a fan base that craves action and could care less how absurd it is.
In this one, they’ve come up with a good villain, Dante (Jason Momoa), who scores points with a campy performance. He seeks revenge against Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Han (Sung Kang), and Tej (Ludacris), and gets his revenge when he frames them as terrorists and withdraws all the funds in their bank accounts. It turns out that Dante is the son of the Brazilian drug kingpin killed by Dom Toretto and his crew back in 2011–and has never forgiven them for killing his dad.
The hectic thriller races across the screen as mindless entertainment for the masses, with dreadful dialogue, cheesy acting (even Diesel’s act has grown cold). The film is even worse when it tries to be funny.
It has the distinction of offering not a single novel thing in its tiresome story.
REVIEWED ON 5/18/2023 GRADE: C