The Fate of the Furious
The Fate of the Furious is the reason moving pictures exist. Not the only reason, just the main one: the glory of dynamic motion which involves the pulse and the heart.
The Fast franchise is a group of action films centered around a crew of talented outlaws who engage in illegal street racing and, later, heists. Although the lineup has changed over the years, the basic formula has stayed the same: an eccentric crew of colorful characters with various talents, led by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his co-conspirator/girlfriend/wife Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) get involved in ever-increasing stakes.
This group refers to themselves as “family,” and their bond is the sinew of the franchise. As the series escalates—escalation is the name of the game here—everybody eventually becomes part of the family, even the antagonists who are sent after them: the first movie saw undercover cop Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) joining the crew; this habit is followed in later movies by Diplomatic Security Service agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson).
None of this dry summation can give you an accurate idea of franchise or its charm… which is that it is absolutely bazonkers: every single sequel tries to top the one before it. As the TVTropes page for the films reminds us, “The entire franchise was inspired by a magazine article.” It’s like a bag you can pour anything into.
Fate opens with Letty and Dom on their Cuban honeymoon. They engage in some illegal vintage Cuban street racing—which itself is worth the price of entry—and then there’s some talk about growing up and starting a family. Then Dom runs into a suspicious woman who blackmails him; the team is reassembled, and the game is on.
(While JASON is typing this review, a cloud of superior-smelling smoke appears in the seat next to him. As it congeals, it assumes the form of a hideously smug movie critic.)
JASON: By Saint Ebert and the blessed Kael! What are you?
CRITICUS: Hello, mortal! It is I, Criticus, the guardian spirit of criticism! When the first play appeared in Greece, I scoffed in the crowd and hissed, “What exactly are we doing here? This is derivative!” Since that day, I have been doomed to walk the Earth haunting critics who do not live up to my unpleasant and exasperating standards.
JASON: It’s too bad you got here right after the flick. You missed one of the best movies of the year.
CRITICUS: What? Fate of the Furious? That piece of populist garbage? Don’t you know the rules of your craft? You are only allowed to enjoy movies of this type ironically. If you give it a high rating, you must use words like “Taken for what it is” or “For an action movie, it is great.” But you actually clapped, and laughed, and made mouth sounds during this viewing. Why? Don’t you know it’s a popcorn movie?
JASON: Yes! It’s a first-rate filmwork! It’s inventive, brilliant, a lot of fun. It is so over-the-top that it establishes a new top. The actors are all charismatic, and we know the characters really well now, so it’s a joy to see them interact. On the surface, the movie is about explosions and cars, but it’s really a humanist document for our times, about what is best in life: adventure, kindness, connection, and the importance of community. All of this is manifested through Dom, who must balance his need to be a responsible adult against his outlaw, adventure-seeking nature, here symbolized by the villain Cipher. In its own way, this movie’s characters dodge the traps of easy characterization just as the movie itself escapes typical pigeonholing. Dom and his team teach us that you can keep the outlaw mindset but also be part of a larger, inclusive world, full of sweet-ass drifting moves. It has the same creative, visual genius as Mad Max: Fury Road, the same delight in ingenious action as Buster Keaton, or Harold Lloyd or Martin Scorsese. I want to see this film again.