F9: The Fast Saga – Movie Reviews by Ry!

F9: The Fast Saga – Action and Espionage: Chapter 9 of … Family

In the world of film, journey is everything.  From the maniacal splendor of horror to the harden accords of an adventure, what strings something true is the essence of enjoyment.  In this review, I look at a film that puts you on a path of pure blockbuster appeal.  The ever-evolving series, it always finds a way to be fun.  F9: The Fast Saga might not be truly inventive, but the thrill never ceases … with this family.

As Dom (Vin Diesel) attempts to live a quiet life, it gets turned upside down with a past that refuse to stay in the shadows.  When fast cars and espionage hit close to home, will Dom find a way to protect his family and save the world.  Coming into this film, you realize it has come a long way from being about street racing.  Just like the previous films, there is a general assumption of what the audience will expected to see on the big screen.  On the surface, you have an outline that is your basic espionage/thriller.  You have your typical ‘bad guy’ that is attempting to get a hold of a ‘secret weapon’ so they can ‘take over the world’.  This main plot pulls from every type of action/spy film you have seen before.  The lethargic nature of the ‘sandbox’ is something that ruins most films, but (with this series) it is only a springboard for the ensemble cast.  Like every other one, the meaningful purpose goes beyond the foundation.  The cast of Dom, Letty, Mia, Roman and Tej become the pillars of accepting all the plot elements of this 9^th film.  There is no question that it is all visual noise stringing together bombastic action scenes, convoluted twists and forced retcons, but the spectacle is ironically enjoyable because of the cast.  This thread keeps the audience on a path of ultimate thrills, a topping of what crazy scenarios will they attempt next. 

As the story moves through its main through line of stopping ‘world domination’, it always keeps the focus on the characters.  With this next chapter, we learn that Dom has a long-lost brother and Han has survived in Tokyo.  These plot points are very derivative, but it ironically brings genuine character moments to the visual spectacle.  These two plot points also provide relevant backstory, helping add value to prior films (in the series).  The full circle treatment brings meaningful purpose to the insanity of logic and sensibility, creating an acceptance of popcorn entertainment.  Once everything heads into the final act, it ends in a typical conclusion with your everyday heroic climax.  F9: The Fast Saga may not be turning something of anything new, but there is enough enjoyment to be had.  If you are a fan of the series or love blockbusters, this is one for you.  I say it is worth seeing at the theaters for the right price. 

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)