The movie“Fast X” hit theaters on May 19, causing a surge in ticket sales at the box office over opening weekend. Filled with thrilling car chases and intense fight sequences, the movie succeeds in entertaining the audience by maintaining a perfect balance between emotional scenes and fast-paced action. 

With a total of 10 movies in the series, the “Fast and Furious” saga continues to follow Dom Torreto and his life-threatening missions as he saves his family from a plethora of threats, ranging from terrorism to world-class assassins. In the newest addition, “Fast X,” Torreto faces his most treacherous opponent yet: Dante Reyes, played by Jason Momoa Determined to destroy everything that Toretto loves, Reyes stops at nothing to avenge his father’s murder. Reyes targets Toretto’s family, turning The Agency— a government organization that had previously hired Toretto and his crew to complete missions for them— against them, making them the world’s most wanted criminals. Separated and with no one to turn to for aid, the crew is left to rely on only one another to gather their forces to stop Reyes from killing millions of innocent people. The movie follows  multiple plotlines flawlessly, giving each character the perfect amount of screen time. 

The “Fast and Furious” franchise has never produced a cinematic masterpiece with regard to the story and plot, but like this installment, all previous films have been entertaining and worth the watch. This three-decade long series persists as one of the greatest action series of all time and has a strong hold on its fans due to the action scenes and the audience’s emotional attachment to the characters. While the plot is unoriginal and very straightforward, lacking in any twists or depth, the visuals are fresh and original, and provide the audience with a sentiment that many action blockbusters try for but miss. Watching cars drive into one another and explode never quite feels as uplifting and hopeful as it does in a “Fast and Furious” movie. This movie will have you on the edge of your seat, cheering Toretto on and praying for Reyes’ downfall. 

Film stars Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson and Jordana Brewster capture the audience’s attention and encapsulate the vigorous mood of the movie from the very start. In previous movies, the group was extremely close-knit, adopting the famous line, “I don’t have friends, l have family,” rooted in a dialogue by Toretto; the chemistry between the actors makes their philosophy incredibly believable during the movie. Jason Momoa, as new antagonist Reyes, did a spectacular job bringing the conflicting energy of a villain, who was incredibly evil but also humorously comes off as the best person to host a sleepover, with his large collection of face masks and nail polish. 

“Fast X” is a good first installment to the end of the “Fast and Furious” saga. Although it feels slow paced and repetitive at times, the movie keeps the focus of the audience and does a good job jumping between plot lines, never forgetting about characters or leaving loose ends. Even at two hours and 21 minutes, the movie didn’t feel too long and fulfilled all the requirements of a “Fast and Furious” movie: beautiful cars, family and an all-star cast. 

If cars aren’t your thing, this might not be the movie for you, but if you’re looking for an enjoyable summer blockbuster experience, “Fast X” is definitely worth a drive.

4.5/ 5