[Review] Fast X (7/10)

 

Title - Fast X
Production - Universal Pictures, China Film Co. Ltd., One Race Films
Starring - Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Momoa, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Charlize Theron, Brie Larson, John Cena, Leo Abelo Perry, Alan Ritchson, Daniela Melchior, Hellen Mirren, Scott Eastwood, Rita Morena, Jason Statham, Pete Davidson, Luis Da Silva Jr.
Writer - Dan Mazeau, Justin Lin
Director - Louis Leterrier
Release - 19 May 2023

I don't know why but I kind of had fun with this instalment. Maybe because they didn't defy gravity enough for me to dislike what I'm looking at.

Also definitely because of Jason Momoa. There was a very weird scene involving corpses that definitely was not needed and could save us five minutes of runtime. But it did add another dimension to the character, and Momoa played it so well. He almost reminded me of the Joker in The Dark Knight - driven by purpose but also insane.

The movie opened with a weird filter. I'm not sure if it was deaging technology being used for Vin Diesel or just some old footage pulled from archive and inserted into an updated background. The latter would explain the weird sheen, otherwise it was a very weird choice to employ into this flashback sequence.

I could have done without Vin Diesel becoming this universe's Superman - saving pedestrians as he drove along, trying to prevent a bigger catastrophy. But I will admit that the chase was very well executed by Louis Leterrier, taking over directing duties from Justin Lin; who I thought was a very capable action director.

This movie also gave me a different side to Daniela Melchior because, every time she's onscreen, she kind of steals it even though she didn't have that much to do or act.

But I just wish the franchise would steer away already from what was popular when it first started; which was to have a lot of sexy, skiimpy girls just for eye candy, or how Melchior's character immediately went and hug Dom in the middle of a showdown.

The ending of this movie also ended very weirdly, I suspect it's because the writers never wrote it with a proper ending in mind for this first of a two-parter. They just made this movie in a way that you have to watch the second one as well. Unfortunately, we the audience were left with half a movie. And I really dislike watching a movie halfway. 

Still, there was just enough action sequences here, with enough stakes, with their greatest villain, to worth a watch at the cinema.