Film: F9: The Fast Saga
Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, John Cena, Kurt Russelll, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Charlize Theron, Sung Kang
Director: Justin Lin
Review: Klep Napier
Rating: 2.5X’s out of 5X’s
20 years later and the engine is still revving for the Fast and Furious franchise. This time around Dom [Vin Diesel] reunites with his band of drag racing tech savvy vigilante bandits he calls family after Mr. Nobody [Kurt Russell] puts out a distress signal in hopes that “The Family” can save the world once again!
Let’s not talk about whether I enjoyed this film or not but rather, is this film worth the price of admission? In a single word, the answer is yes. But that doesn’t make this a great movie.
It appears as though Fast 9 director, Justin Lin tests the boundaries of film making and story telling by simply tossing outlandish ideas at the lens simply to see what sticks with fans. The cast has come a long way since 2001 when the only thing they needed to worry about was getting caught by police for drag racing on inner city streets. Now Dom and crew are International spies with James Bond grade tech, martial arts skills and wait a minute space rocket engined car?
Fast 9 delivers the entertainment as usual but this franchise has left reality at the door more than five films ago. In an attempt to show high stakes, the film pins Diesel up against his long lost brother Jacob played by WWE Star John Cena, but the overall mission tends to get clouded by all the spectacle. The film continues to cram one death defying stunt after another in your face until you’re no longer invested in the slew of dramatic back stories, but merely there to enjoy the ride.
If Martin Scorsese coined the genre Theme Park Films, then Fast 9 would be at the top of the list and director Lin knows this. Using Roman character [Tyrese], Lin continuously pokes fun at the situations characters always seem to walk away from scratch free. This plays like an overbearing apology every time they do something that doesn’t obey the laws of physics. It’s ok as long as they’re self aware. Right?
Some cool nods in this film are the connecting of this universe. You will get to see the return of many past Fast and Furious characters that you never thought you would ever see again. But that’s about as much real shock value that you will get until the mid credit scene. So be sure to stick around after the film.
Overall we have to say The Furious Franchise has made its mark in the industry and by now we should know that what we’ve seen is what we’ll get and then some. When it comes to this blockbuster beast, you will be on the edge of your seat without a bored bone in your body but please check your coat of reality at the door.
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