Year: 2023

Runtime: 141 minutes

Director: Louis Leterrier

Writers: Dan Mazeau, Justin Lin, Gary Scott Thompson

Actors: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Statham, Jordana Brewster, Rita Moreno, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Sung Han, Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Scott Eastwood, Jason Momoa, Alan Ritchson

By Rosa Parra

“Fast X” (2023) is the tenth installment of the “Fast and the Furious” franchise, directed by Louis Leterrier starring Vin Diesel, Jason Momoa, Michelle Rodriguez, John Cena, Alan Ritchson, Rita Moreno, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris and Charlize Theron. The son of Hernan Reyes (the antagonist in Fast Five), Dante Reyes (Momoa), seeks to avenge the death of his father by going after every single person involved in the heist that took place in Rio de Janeiro over 10 years ago.  

If you’re familiar with this franchise, then there’s no secret of what to expect: a whole lot of ridiculous and entertaining action sequences that defy any laws of physics, along with modest acting. Diesel delivers some of the most hilarious lines (in an attempt to be serious though). In fact, the script is a weak element of this entry. 

The Fast family gets larger and larger by the minute, such that it feels overstuffed and not giving enough time to spend with some of the members. What’s a little disappointing is the lack of seriousness given to death. This is the new MCU where any death in the series doesn’t have any impact because the dead pop up a few films later. There were many cameos (stay for the mid-credit scene) with one surprise cameo in the third act that genuinely delighted me. 

Momoa is a scene stealer. His malicious villainous character is refreshing, and it intrigues me to see what he does in the rest of the installments. He brought to this franchise a never-before-seen villain that gave it a breath of fresh air. His character does have a level of menace and a threatening presence that would probably bring something these films haven’t had in a while – high stakes. 

Moreno was okay. She’s the matriarch of the family and the abuela everyone respects. Brie Larson’s addition was decent but just like the rest of the cast, she does whatever possible with what she’s given. Rodriguez is good, and her character has a standout fighting sequence with Theron. My inner feminist was enjoying this fight scene since both women are some of the best action actresses in the business and they certainly kick each other’s ass. As much as I criticize the “Fast and Furious” films for sexualizing and objectifying women, they also depict women who are smart and capable of having badass fighting sequences and individuals who can critically think. For instance, there’s a chase in Rome with both Dom and Letty and both are equally badass.  

This film is one where you must absolutely turn off your brain though, particularly the area used for logic. Be warned that you’re walking into a poorly written film whose sole saving grace is Momoa’s performance. There are cars racing and cars exploding, and now the addition of helicopters utilized in all the commotion. 

Overall, “Fast X” minimally improves from its last two films, the majority of it being the addition of Momoa. His performance alone is worth the ticket entrance. He doesn’t fail to deliver nonsensical action with atrocious dialogue but is an enticing villain that did enough to spark my curiosity for the upcoming entries. This film is nothing groundbreaking that does what any blockbuster movie sets to do though – entertain.