Review: 'Fast X' sticks to the formula, gives fans exactly what they want

Fast X
3 out of 5 Stars
Director: Louis Leterrier
Writers: Dan Mazeau, Justin Lin, Gary Scott Thompson
Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jason Momoa, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, John Cena, Jason Statham, Sung Kang, Alan Ritchson, Daniela Melchior, Scott Eastwood, with Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron, Brie Larson and Rita Moreno
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and some suggestive material

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) – Studio Synopsis: In 2011’s Fast Five, Dom and his crew took out nefarious Brazilian drug kingpin Hernan Reyes and decapitated his empire on a bridge in Rio De Janeiro. What they didn’t know was that Reyes’ son, Dante (Aquaman’s Jason Momoa), witnessed it all and has spent the last 12 years masterminding a plan to make Dom pay the ultimate price.

Dante’s plot will scatter Dom’s family from Los Angeles to the catacombs of Rome, from Brazil to London and from Portugal to Antarctica. New allies will be forged, and old enemies will resurface. But everything changes when Dom discovers that his own 8-year-old son (Leo Abelo Perry, Black-ish) is the ultimate target of Dante’s vengeance.

Review: Ten films into The Fast Saga, you’ve probably already decided your level of commitment to the franchise. I consider myself somewhat estranged in that I’ve enjoyed moments here and there but I’m not circling any dates on my calendar to make sure I make the next family reunion.

I don’t know how much the actual plot matters at this point. The francise's narrative is convoluted and features so many characters who start out as enemies and end up as friends (or the other way around) that a PowerPoint presentation would be required to untangle it all.

The set up here is that Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa) is hellbent on revenge following the death of his father Herman Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida) who was killed ten years ago in the climatic chase scene in “Fast Five.” Dante blames Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and targets Dom’s family and friends to exact his revenge.

“Fast X” is an utterly ridiculous action film that features some subpar performances, questionable screenwriting decisions, recycled footage to allow for some serious retconning, and more fiery mayhem that can only be matched by the most self indulgent of the Transformer films. It’s a long string of movie cliches, car crashes, punch ups, and scenery chewing that all lead to a cliffhanger and an obligatory mid-credit “surprise” that, like everything else, feels inevitable. Fans will love it.

Momoa plays Dante as an odd mix of Jack Sparrow and The Joker. It's certainly a flamboyant choice and a foil to Diesel’s deadpan performance. I’m not convinced that it works. It is at least different. The manicure party is particularly unsettling.

The film is more than two hours, but there’s hardly enough room to feature the massive cast. Numerous characters appear for one or two scenes in what amount to glorified cameos. There are plot points that suggest that might balance out in “X: Part 2” in 2025, but that would require certain A-list characters who are featured heavily in “X” to take a backseat. It could happen. But will egos allow it to happen?

“Fast X” is exactly the film you’d expect it to be. The franchise’s history at the box office suggests that’s a good thing. I’ll leave it up to you to decide.