Fast X (also known as Fast & Furious 10) is a 2023 action film directed by Louis Leterrier (Clash of the Titans, The Incredible Hulk), and written by Justin Lin (F9) and Dan Mazeau. As the tenth film for the extremely successful Fast & Furious Saga which dates back to my freshman year in high school, we are finally approaching the final chapter.

Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved, and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.

The cast includes Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Nathalie Emmanuel, Jordana Brewster, Sung Kang, Jason Statham, John Cena, and Scott Eastwood, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron. New additions to the already star-studded cast include Oscar® winner Brie Larson, Jason Mamoa, Alan Ritchson (Reacher), Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), and legendary Oscar® winner Rita Moreno.

Fast X made its debut in theaters on May 19th.

THE GOOD

If you called me a Fast and Furious fanboy, you’d be onto something. I talked about it at length during my Fast 9 review so I won’t bore you with the details, but this franchise has held a special place in my heart for over two decades. Now granted the films have become a far cry from street racing on the side streets of Cali, but I’m still here for it. A successful franchise builds a massive fanbase with great characters, edge-of-your-seat action, and if it’s lucky a substantial emotional attachment which has been the case for me with these movies. So, does Fast X keep the fire burning or flame out after such an impressive run? Keep reading to find out!

It certainly didn’t flame out but I do have some mixed thoughts which I will touch on later in the review, but all in all Fast X was the high-octane action thriller we all expected. The action sequences are absolutely bonkers as expected, and although we don’t take a trip to space this time around, the opportunities to defy logic and gravity are still aplenty. Fast X also makes sure to pay homage to the franchise with several scenes that fans will recognize right away, including the opening scene reminiscent of the original 2001 film. Speaking of the original film, the soundtrack is fantastic yet again. This franchise has become synonymous with big-name actors over the years and that is the case yet again, adding another few big players to the mix.

The cast is a big draw yet again and Fast X adds a few new big names to the mix. The biggest addition to the film is Jason Mamoa who plays the film’s primary antagonist. I really like Mamoa a lot as an actor and have always felt he has a unique versatility to him. Not only is he a big and brooding presence, but he also has great on-screen energy and charisma. I will admit I do have mixed thoughts on his character as a whole and I will talk more about that later in the review, but for the most part, I liked his casting and thought he was the man for the job. Following in the footsteps of Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, or John Cena is a big hill to climb, but he makes it look easy. Another big addition is the gorgeous and talented Brie Larson, and she is fantastic as always.

I think the argument can be made that 70% of the budget for these films goes to the special effects, but at this point, if you go into a Fast and Furious movie expecting realism you clearly missed the last 5+ movies. The franchise traded street racing and edge-of-your-seat tractor-trailer heists for explosions, cars flying out of skyscrapers, and oh yeah let’s not forget submarines. The action is aplenty yet again in Fast X, and for that reason, I was entertained from start to finish just waiting to see how far they decide to push things this time around. I do think that F9 pushed things a little further considering a character went to space, I mean that is a high bar, but the amount of Dominic Toretto muscle car goodness put a smile on my face.

THE BAD

I really did enjoy Fast X, but certain things either felt off or didn’t quite meet my expectations. First, I have become especially attached to the emotional element of the films ever since Furious 7 which followed the tragic death of the great Paul Walker. The ending of that film hit me hard, and I even did my own sort of review as to why which you can check out here if you are interested. But bottom line, the loss I have suffered in my own life coupled with my own personal attachment to this franchise from a young age has made these movies special to me.

The films have effectively followed up Furious 7 with plenty of hard-hitting emotional moments, but I just felt like Fast X sort of fell flat in comparison. Now it still made sure to honor Walker’s involvement with the franchise, but it just felt minimal in comparison. Maybe it was because of the fact that the film had a cliffhanger and maybe I should reserve judgment for how things close out in the finale.

The other issue I had with the film was what I felt was a strange balance as far as the overall tone and much of that relates to the film’s villain played by Jason Mamoa. I love Mamoa, and overall I did enjoy his character and what he brought to the film, I just thought that the balance for his character in terms of the comedic and psychotic elements felt unbalanced. Maybe I am overthinking it and that was just the core of his overall character, but it felt sort of all over the place for me especially when compared to other villains in the franchise.

THE VERDICT

Embracing the absolute absurdity of the action sequences for better or for worse, Fast X may not surpass prior entries but still delivers for fans of the franchise an experience made for the big screen. It’s not perfect and certainly could have been better, but if you go in expecting more of what this over-the-top franchise has offered as of late it is well worth the price of admission. Plus, a movie like Fast X simply needs to be seen in theaters,