About the film (courtesy of Universal Pictures):
The end of the road begins. The tenth film in the Fast & Furious Saga, launches the final chapters of one of cinema’s most storied and popular global franchises, now in its third decade and still going strong with the same core cast and characters as when it began. Now Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything-and everyone-that Dom loves, forever.

Right off the jump, I’ll let you all know that you’re safe from Tej and Roman, or anyone else for that matter, returning to space in a rocket car. That said, Fast X is far from done rolling out the ridiculous antics…FAR FROM DONE. Thankfully though, a decision was made on some level to dial things back just a tad.

This franchise, featuring Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and family, has stretched far beyond my wildest dreams in terms of longevity and marketability. Everyone just keeps coming back for more, both fans and the cast. As long as franchise keeps making money, Universal Pictures will continue putting fuel in the tank.

While it’s always a pretty good idea to have some working knowledge of previous films before going into a sequel, Fast X relies heavily on its viewers falling into this category. I’d have to agree, if for no other reason than to keep track of the many characters that popup throughout this 141 minute free-for-all. Assuming you’re familiar with all of the regular names, new additions include Alan Ritchson, Brie Larson, John Cena and Jason Momoa, who absolutely nails his performance in every sense of the word.

Momoa is the linchpin that actually holds this tenth entry together by bringing a new personality to a tonally similar story that we’ve experienced repeatedly over the past two decades and change. His character, Dante, is wildly unpredictable, enigmatic and completely unhinged in his pursuit of justice…in his eyes. In the introduction of this latest chapter, we are treated to a flashback of ten years ago where the groundwork was seeded for what is to blossom into a fully cultivated Shakespearean tale of revenge.

Fast X has many moving parts and is constantly on the go, so get ready to buckle up for a wild and far-fetched ride, again. Director Louis Leterrier, who gained notoriety in directing the first two Transporter films, looks to shake things up a big more as the franchise inevitably starts heading towards its eventual finality. As mentioned earlier, this entry is slightly toned down, however it’s far from the neighborhood of practicality and that’s okay since audiences already know what they’ve signed up for. Leterrier doesn’t disappoint on that level, however he will slightly surprise some with the inclusion of more hand-to-hand fight scenes.

Fast X is a popcorn flick in every sense of the term and those that enjoy this type of art will feel quite at home. There’s loads of action throughout and countless comedic moments, even some that displays the self-awareness of the absurdity of some of the scientifically impossible stunts that are pulled off. That deserves a nod. Where this one misses is in its attempts to be serious and dramatic. Instead, it comes off like a telenovela at times called “Days of Our Drives” or something silly like that.

Assuming you’re looking for something new to watch in theaters, Fast X does enough to keep you entertained, whether it’s through action, comedy, eye candy or just sheer curiosity to see what the hell they’re going to try next. Besides, if you’re an avid watcher of the franchise, how do you not tune in to see what the next big twist is?! The official release date is Friday, May 19th but we all know by now that there are early showings on Thursday. And speaking of obvious things, there is a mid-credit scene to enjoy.