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We have our first taste of how crazy it is to see Vin Diesel and Jason Momoa rev their engines at the same time in the 10th Fast & Furious flick!
By David Crow | |
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Even the greatest family reunions have to eventually come to an end, and that final turn in the road is within sight. While next week’s hotly anticipated Fast X will not be the actual conclusion to the epic saga, it will lead directly into the 11th mainline film—aka the supposed last ride with Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto behind the wheel.
It’s been a long and winding trip, beginning nearly a quarter-century ago with quarter-mile races paid for by the theft of DVD players. No really, go back and watch The Fast and the Furious (2001), preferably on an old-fashioned 480p laser disc. The series of course evolved a lot after that, adding key extended family members like Roman (Tyrese Gibson) in 2 Fast 2 Furious and Ludicrous as Tej in the same film. Although what might be telling about Fast X is who isn’t there.
Onscreen the film famously marks the second consecutive Fast Saga adventure without Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson’s Luke Hobbs, who has been with the series since Fast Five (2011), however it also will not include director Justin Lin who really elevated the series in most of the previous installments, including Fast Five. He was signed on to direct Fast X and the forthcoming Fast & Furious 11, but the director publicly bowed out of the film while it was in the middle of production, apparently concerned about his mental health after “a series of disagreements” with Diesel. Afterward, director Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk) stepped in to helm a penultimate film that features a sprawling ensemble cast, including newcomers in Jason Momoa, Brie Larson, and Rita Moreno, and returning faces like Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jason Statham.
But how does Fast X measure up? According to the folks who saw it first at press and junket screenings this week… like a 10-second car that just fired its nitro boosters!
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Eric Eisenberg of CinemaBlend praised the movie, calling Jason Momoa’s Dante the equivalent of this franchise’s Joker (presumably of the Heath Ledger variety). “He’s a gleeful psychopath, and it’s delightful.”
Fast X gets the Fast & Furious series back on track, and reason #1 is Jason Momoa, who plays Dante like F&F's version of The Joker. He's a gleeful psychopath, and it's delightful. Along with a story that avoids what made Fate Of The Furious and F9 feel stale, it's a win. #FastX pic.twitter.com/fgZy6gjYTR
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) May 12, 2023
Kirsten Acuna continues the superhero movie comparisons, suggesting this is the saga’s Avengers: Infinity War.
Caught #FastX last week! It’s a wild, non-stop action thrill ride that delivers the most shocking ending of the franchise, so far. Not perfect (end may divide fans), but it’s been growing on me & I can’t wait to see it again. Universal's def trying to make this its Infinity War. pic.twitter.com/0EWbLNezOi
— Kirsten (@KirstenAcuna) May 12, 2023
The high praise was echoed by several other early junketeers as seen below.
#FastX is utterly ridiculous (I loved every second). Action sequences and one-liners left my face hurting from smiling so much. Momoa is hilarious. Ensemble rocks. Cinema? Please. Peak summer blockbuster? Hell yes. Built for a popcorn-filled big screen experience. @ComicBook pic.twitter.com/5XWLT4daQO
— Liam (@LiamTCrowley) May 12, 2023
#FastX is an entertaining thrill ride. It’s a visual spectacle with some truly incredible stunts and some wildly outrageous moments you’d expect from the Fast franchise, but what Jason Momoa brings to the film as Dante is magic! His performance oozes charisma. pic.twitter.com/UjOlR77aEF
— Joseph Deckelmeier (@joedeckelmeier) May 12, 2023
Still, not all of the reactions were fueled with praise. Germain Lussier of Gizmodo and io9, for one, called it the worst installment in the series, saying, “It’s the 1st film to not up the ante from the last one & the trademark notion of ‘Family’ is an afterthought.”
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) May 12, 2023#FastX is the worst Fast yet. Yes, including [insert your least fave here]. The action is fun but it's the 1st film to not up the ante from the last one & the trademark notion of "Family" is an afterthought.
But! Jason Momoa is God-Level in it and worth the price of admission. pic.twitter.com/zYdDFwSg0T
Journalist Simon Thompson also seems less than won over, albeit he too praises Momoa.
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#FastX belongs to Jason Momoa and his decadent bad guy, Dante Reyes. Fierce and flamboyant, his perilous peaco*cking adds a sharp edge and some refreshing dark humor. The rest is ludicrousness with clunky elements but it is stupidly entertaining. What the Fast were you expecting? pic.twitter.com/9Xeuj2In7z
— Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) May 12, 2023
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Tags: ActionBrie LarsonFast and FuriousJason MomoaMichelle RodriguezVin Diesel
Written by
David Crow|@DCrowsNest
David Crow is the movies editor at Den of Geek. He has long been proud of his geek credentials. Raised on cinema classics that ranged from…
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