F9: The Fast Saga

 

Rating: 3/5

There is no question that Fast and the Furious movies are a strange phenomenon in Hollywood blockbusters... Fast and Furious has survived unimaginable twists and turns like no other franchise. Throughout the years, what began as a cheap summer program evolved into an international, multifaceted spy franchise, becoming the most successful franchise in Universal Studios history? Incredibly, it has survived dramatic changes in creative leadership, the tragic death of one of its leads, and clashing egos (instead of breaking the series apart, the rift led to an enjoyable spin-off). It's simply an observation that the thrills in Vin Diesel's latest joyride are less like a 007 film than what you might imagine a 007 flick to be before you've actually seen one.

 What do you know? The film is even better than fine when directed by Justin Lin, who returns for the first time since Fast & Furious 6 to the franchise he saved from doom. This is exactly what you want in a movie with the title "9".Although it might be the most asinine movie yet in the series in terms of character motivations and set pieces, this is such an earnest film that fans will be gripped by Diesel's mumbles of "family" – plus there's the Spider-Man car. But Lin is also responsible for perfectly balancing the tonal whiplash between melodrama and cartoon histrionics, far more than any other director. Somehow, his approach manages to devote equal attention to Dom and Jakob's soapy showdowns and the wackiness that comes along with shooting a Pontiac into orbit.

 As time passes, the ninth installment, simply titled "F9" (the series' blatant disregard for convention is admirable), faces a challenge none of its predecessors have faced-convince moviegoers to return to the theater after more than a year away. This latest installment of the Fast & Furious franchise rises to the occasion in ways that might surprise you, given just how entertaining "F9" is, and how many oversized action scenes it contains. The ninth installment in the Fast and Furious franchise, which has seen Diesel drive convertibles between skyscrapers, the late Paul Walker pilot his car out of a moving plane and Dwayne Johnson catch and redirect a torpedo, F9 still does something unprecedented. The reason for this is partly because, with a franchise this convoluted, Lin can rely liberally on nostalgia of seeing old faces pop up again - they even reintroduce Gal Gadot's deceased Gisele in flashback.

Following the events of 2017's "The Fate of the Furious" (and indirectly of 2019's "Hobbs and Shaw"), Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) lives a simpler existence with his wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and young son Brian. "The Fast and the Furious," a franchise characterized by its sole-minded focus on family and ludicrously twisted plot lines, has a similar power-hungry madman as Dom's estranged brother, Jakob (John Cena). It is safe to say that this revelation will test the makeshift family's togetherness like never before. In "F9," many familiar faces return and some new ones are introduced. F9 is the longest film in the series, but it is surprisingly smooth. One of the things that make Dom and Jakob's movie so "experimental" is the number of flashbacks it has to Dom and Jakob's past, starting with the first scene in the 1980s. Initially, these sequences seem, at best, unnecessary, and at worst, actively distracting from the film's main narrative thrust. (Over the past nine movies, ten if you count the spin-off movie, the mythology has become increasingly complex and overlapping.) But as the film advances, these sequences serve to deepen our understanding of the characters and add some much-needed emotional weight.

There's a strange alchemy between stupid and sweet that brings the set pieces together. In addition, since many of those action scenes clearly (and regrettably) occur in front of screens, the addition of Cena as Diesel's new foil is a boon to the series. Since Dwayne Johnson is unlikely to return as Luke Hobbs in the mainline movies, the franchise is desperate for an injection of charisma somewhere, and Cena is more than capable of providing that. Theron is also on hand to steal the show during her few scenes, including by throwing the shadiest insult I've heard in years.

The other element that feels truly new is "F9's" self-awareness. Filmmaker Lin seems to be reading the comments and checking Twitter regularly. Furthermore, he has a natural understanding of the audience and when something might be considered too outrageous. A few moments in the movie seem straight out of fan fiction (including the return of a long-lost character and the climax). There is also a funny running gag between Gibson and Bridges about how invincible the characters seem, given the insane situations they find themselves in (and some more throwaway gags about physics, a subject that has historically been overlooked by the franchise). These moments carry with them an elemental thrill, so to do anything more would be to deprive the experience of some of that excitement. Families don't treat each other that way.

At the end of the day, F9 probably isn't needed. There is nothing sense in it. It is too long at 145 minutes, and while Lin has a knack for staging massive action set pieces involving vehicular mayhem, he is less adept with hand-to-hand combat (sometimes literally; that jittery camerawork can be improved). Nonetheless, without doubt, there are a lot of good reasons to disagree with the choices here considering it's a fitfully entertaining and satisfying entry. This film is stuffed (perhaps overstuffed) with moments that will make you gasp, laugh, and applaud, whether this is your first "Fast & Furious" movie or you've been a fan for decades. "F9" has definitely crossed over into theme park roller coaster territory by the time it reaches its certifiably insane climax. (And, yes, it helps to be back at a movie theater with a movie like this). You'll likely hear yourself yelling and laughing so loud that your hands will be in the air. In the event that this is your first trip back to the theater in more than a year, what more would you want?