Studio: Universal
Release Date: August 8, 2023
Rating: PG-13
Film: 2.5/5
PlotEver since their saga started on the streets of L.A.’s underground racing scene, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have overcome impossible odds to outsmart, out-nerve and outdrive every foe. Yet when the team took down a nefarious kingpin back in Brazil, they had no idea his son Dante (Jason Momoa) was watching from the shadows. More lethal than any other enemy they’ve faced, Dante now rises as a terrifying new nemesis who’s fueled by revenge and determined to shatter their family and destroy everything and everyone that Dom loves. From London and Brazil to Antarctica and Rome, new alliances are forged and old enemies resurface. But everything changes after Dom discovers his eight-year-old son is Dante’s ultimate target.
My ThoughtsWhen you sit down to watch a Fast and Furious film, you can’t expect high-brow entertainment. All of the films are adrenaline-fueled adventures where the laws of physics are completely ignored and you have to check your brain at the door. While the films started out as racing films, they’ve morphed over the years to a blend of Mission Impossible, James Bond, with a little Jason Bourne thrown into the mix. I thought there was no way they could top the last film in this area, but it didn’t take them long to do so—maybe 20 minutes into this film my eyes were rolling well back into my head.
I made the mistake of watching this with my wife and my visiting adult daughter and while I didn’t like it very much, they completely hated it and were LOLing through most of the film with the cheesy dialog and the unbelievable stunts. Furthermore, my wife kept asking me to turn it down because “it’s too loud,” even though I was listening -5dB from my “normal” listening level. I will admit, this is a loud film with a lot going on, but it’s meant to be loud, so she should learn to roll with the punches!
The story itself actually has some good elements in it in regard to revenge and protecting one’s family, but the CGI is laughably bad and did I mention anything about physics? The ensemble cast is back together and they play the familiar characters we’ve come to know very well over the past nine movies, but its newcoming Jason Mamoa, who steals the show as the villain. I loved his over-the-top persona and you could tell he was having a blast playing the part. The other newcomer is Brie Larson, who doesn’t impress as the wooden daughter of Mr. Nobody.
One thing’s for sure, the A/V quality is nothing to complain about. The visuals are excellent although it’s easy to tell when CGI is being employed. Colors are bold and bright, shadows are well resolved, and detail is excellent. The Dolby Atmos track is just what you’d expect—loud, raucous, and features plenty of LFE.
Video 9/10 Audio 9.5/10 (Dolby Atmos)Special Features:- This is Family
- Fast Breaks: Scene Breakdowns with Louis Leterrier
- Xtreme Rides of Fast X
- Belles of the Brawl
- Tuned into Rio
- Jason Momoa: Conquering Rome
- Little B Takes the Wheel
- A Friend in the End
- Gag Reel
- Music Videos
- Feature Commentary
- UHD + Blu-ray + Digital Copy
ConclusionIf you’ve enjoyed the previous Fast movies, you’ll probably like this one. It’s very flawed in so many ways, but there are also some fun elements to it that is entertaining in a mindless sort of way. Like the last film, it’s a bit too long for my taste, but I ended up watching it over two sessions since my wife and daughter were complaining too much and while I didn’t love it by any stretch, I did enjoy it more when watching it alone.
Reference Review System:JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Kaleidescape Strato + Server
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
Dual Rythmik FV15HP2
Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner
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