There are not many film franchises, or franchises in any medium, that are able to change and adapt to the time of their release, but the “Fast and Furious” franchise has been able to do just that. The latest installment of the series, “The Fate of the Furious,” feels like a new movie, but also calls back to other films in the franchise. Being the eighth film, you would expect it to feel old, or at least treading on old ideas, but “The Fate of the Furious” does anything but. It feels as fresh as the first in the franchise.
The characters have always been my favorite part of the series, especially the family dynamic that the films so heavily rely upon. Vin Diesel returns as Dominic Toretto and is still as perfect for the role as ever. The whole crux of the movie surrounds Dom’s controversial actions and how the rest of the cast of characters reacts to those actions. That is why this movie is one of my favorites in the franchise. This is one of Vin Diesel’s best performances and he really makes the viewer feel like he is conflicted with his decisions.
It is also the first film in the series to not star Paul Walker, due to his tragic death. The film doesn’t really talk about his character apart from a couple nods, which is a little disappointing.
The narrative of “The Fate of the Furious” outlines one of the better stories in the series. There are some emotional moments in the film that got me, which I did not expect when I went to go see the movie. Also, in typical “Fast and Furious” fashion, the film contains some fantastic car chases. I would consider some of them to be the best in the franchise, and that is saying something considering how many movies there are.
“The Fate of the Furious” feels different enough from the other films in the franchise to feel new, but it also doesn’t alienate itself from the other “Fast and Furious” movies. It lays the groundwork for some new material that could come into the franchise. and I hope it leads to other movies of this quality in the future. For fans of the series, or of action movies, you won’t want to miss this one.
