MINOR SPOILER WARNING!
With Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) settling down with their son Brian (Isaac Holtane/Immanuel Holtane), life in the fast lane appears to be gone forever. However, when Dom and Mia’s (Jordana Brewster) brother, Jakob (John Cena) enters the picture, things change drastically. The team is now back together again, and they will travel around the world, doing what they can to stop Jakob from ruining his life and the lives of billions around the world. F9: The Fast Saga picks up not long after the events of the previous installment, and fans are in for a crazy journey.
It’s been twenty years since the world was first introduced to the Torettos and their family, and here we are in a new, ever-changing space that blurs the line between reality and science fiction. Rocket ships, explosions, magnets, and a slew of oddities in between fill the screen from beginning to end in F9: The Fast Saga, and director Justin Lin (who hasn’t been part of the franchise since the sixth installment) ensures that viewers have seen nothing quite as explosive as this. Insane, ridiculous, and asinine are adjectives that come to mind when attempting to describe all that is F9: The Fast Saga, and I couldn’t be happier with just how absurd this film is. The reality is that the Fast and Furious saga has transitioned from a story about a street racer to a series about individuals capable of inhuman feats. Long-time fans of the franchise, those who have followed closely for the past twenty years, have come to terms with the changes made to the saga and no longer expect constant realism. The writers and directors lean heavily on nostalgia and character development to reach their viewers, and that is exactly what F9: The Fast Saga does.
F9: The Fast Saga combines the old and the new, creating a story full of family and excitement. The over-the-top, high-octane action pairs well with the down-to-earth sentiment regarding family, and viewers experience something unlike anything they’ve seen before within the franchise. Sure, new viewers (and some old) may look at the ridiculousness that exists and think that the franchise is nothing more than a silly story told from the point of view of wannabe superheroes, but the reality is that the deep-rooted family that lives within the walls of the franchise still exists and still has so much left to offer. A trip back to the 1980’s allows viewers to relive the glory of racing and the story of Dom’s father losing his life. This solidifies all that we know and love about Dom, but it adds unexpected twists and turns that make the story more heartbreaking and immersive than ever before. Every ridiculous stunt, every unrealistic ploy to get viewers engaged works beautifully. The camera work, acting, direction, etc. all converge and allow F9: The Fast Saga to find massive success in this realm.
The acting is nothing short of wonderful. The actors, including Tyrese Gibson (Roman Pearce), Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges (Tej Parker), and Lucas Black (Sean), have been a part of this franchise for sometime now and there is a piece of their characters that live inside of them now. F9: The Fast Saga sees everyone fall right back into place and fill the shoes of their massive characters once more. Is anyone perfect? No. But the reality is that these roles have been so well casted over the years that even if any shortcomings befall our heroes (and villains) we don’t care. They have clawed their way into our hearts and can essentially do no wrong throughout the course of F9: The Fast Saga. The best decision regarding the characters is giving Roman a larger, more pivotal role throughout the course of this film. He’s always been the comic relief with moments of genius sprinkled throughout his arc, but for the first time, Roman is seen as a force to be reckoned with, in many ways filling the shoes of the absent, and beloved, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson).
F9: The Fast Saga is everything that I had expected it to be. The film is full of unrealistic stunts, far too many explosions, and resurrections that seem just a bit impossible, but the reality is that, while the series existed simply as a bunch of street racers trying to make their way in the world, it has transitioned into something bigger, something even more fun. The fans love this, and there is no doubt in my mind that through the absurdities, the F9: The Fast Saga cast and crew will come out smelling like roses. This installment isn’t the best, but it has everything that Diesel and his cohorts had been promising for years. With even more promises of a bright future, this film entices viewers from beginning to end, and the world veritably owned by Dominic Toretto will continue to change. So, hold on tight, because this family isn’t done yet.
Directed by Justin Lin.
Written by Daniel Casey, Justin Lin, Alfredo Botello, & Gary Scott Thompson.
Starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Finn Cole, Sung Kang, Anna Sawai, Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell, Lucas Black, Shad Moss, Thue Erted Rasmussen, Don Omar, Shea Whigham, Vinnie Bennet, JD Pardo, Michael Rooker, Jim Parrack, Jason Tobin, Cardi B, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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