Perhaps more than the expected overblown
action set pieces that they indeed deliver (more on
that later), the great accomplishment here by
director F. Gary Gray and writer Chris Morgan is
making the pivot to pit the team against James
Bond-type uber-villainy feel oddly organic, certainly
further helped by Theron's genuinely chilling turn.
The 007 analogy is apt not only in terms of the
grandiose stakes of this adventure but also in how
Cipher's previously unseen ties to previous series
installments recall 2015's SPECTRE, and being the
regular writer since F3, Morgan uses history wisely
here, notably in tying in and up dangling,
unaddressed issues from previous films. But even
more important and invaluable to making the shift
work are the extremely well established character
relationships and dynamics. Ditching the laughably
pretentious, would-be profound racing-as-life
philosophical platitudes of F1, F3, and F4 for the
equally earnest but far more convincing
generalized idea of family is the unheralded key to
why this franchise feels fresh rather than fatigued at
this point. That ongoing theme makes one of the
series' strongest assets, the natural chemistry and
amusingly contrasting personalities within its regular
ensemble, just as much fuel as the elaborate
action sequences. It's one thing to make the
mayhem bigger and louder and more detached
from the laws of physics and basic logic with every
new film, but it requires a certain consistent
attachment to the actors and characters to truly
be on board for the increasingly outlandish turns
their adventures take, and the giant leaps this
particular one makes are sold by the genuine
ground-level familiarity and, yes, affection this
motley crew has accrued over time.
As such, those big chases, races, stunts, fights,
explosions, and general destruction are that much
more *fun*, and the audience's excitement and
even exasperation at being thrown into such
spiraling situations are often mirrored by various
members of the out-of-their-usual-depth crew. As
much of a stretch as it is to now have Statham's
character fight alongside Dom's regular team, it is
a welcome one that adds more variety and
dimension to the action. The bulk of the action, in
the last remaining vestige of the first films' street
racing roots, is still driven (bad pun again intended)
by vehicles here, but Statham's celebrated martial
arts skills are also put on vivid display and offer a
refreshing and exciting break from all the
crash-bang cacophony.
His playful and self-aware sense of humor is
also a bonus, especially in one cheeky fight
scene that may pay blatant "homage" to
John Woo's HARD-BOILED but undeniably
works.
And the direction the FAST or FURIOUS
franchise seems to be heading in from here
on out (word is F8 is the beginning of a trilogy
arc lasting through F10) also works as a
whole, and it will continue to do so if the
makers continue to build and evolve as
smartly as they have thus far. A breaking
point is perhaps inevitable--after all, the core
"family" has grown yet again here, and the
absolutely bonkers ice-and-submarines-and-
cars-and-snowmobiles-and-planes-and-
warheads finale leaves little room to go even
bigger and louder next time--but for now,
one is best left to not worry and enjoy the
excitement and pure entertainment of this
latest wild ride.
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