F9 review
Yes they go into space.
I've been fully on board with this sort of second era of this franchise. The first 4 movies operate in almost an entirely different universe than they have since Fast Five re-molded the franchise into the behemoth that it has become.
My favorite in the series will forever remain the very first one. But I have loved 5-8 as well. I think these are some of the best action movies of this century. And I don't like these movies ironically as some seem to. I think they are genuinely good movies even as far as the story goes.
I liked F9 too, but not nearly as much as 5-8 and think that for the first time this franchise has become a little TOO much. Too much what? Everything. F9 is an exhausting movie to sit through. This movie has SO many characters and SO much plot and SO many locations and SO many set pieces that it has to fly by at such a frenetic place that you are exhausted just trying to keep track of everything.
In this case, less really would have been more. F9 has probably at least 3 full movies smashed into one 2 1/2 hour movie.
The main plot involves the introduction of Vin Diesel's heretofore unmentioned younger brother (John Cena) who is involved in trying to get a Macguffin which will enable him to control all the world's satellites. Sure. Pretty sure this was almost the exact same plot as the last movie, except that time it was Charlize Theron trying to rule the world.
So the usual crew assembles to stop Cena. Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, and a returning Jordana Brewster. The Paul Walker character, still alive in this universe, is babysitting the kids. A good excuse as any, I suppose.
But this cast is anything but small. Sung Kang's Han is back from the dead. It's no secret, as the trailer made a big point of telling you he was back. His death that was the entire catalyst for Furious 7? It was faked. Sure, why not? Han also has a young girl he is the guardian for, who can do kung fu and who plays a key role in the plot.
But we also get other returning people from the series. Lucas Black and Bow Wow from Tokyo Drift (plus another guy who may have been in it too). Kurt Russell pops up briefly. Helen Mirren has one terrific scene. Theron is here too, largely imprisoned behind glass like Hannibal Lecter. Don Omar. Shea Whigham. Michael Rooker has a role. Cena has a bad guy associate who is like the money man. There's even an inexplicable Cardi B cameo. Yet this series still hasn't brought back Eva Mendes.
AND a chunk of the movie is flashbacks showing the younger Diesel and Cena. Oh yeah, this movie is a prequel of itself. It also establishes Diesel's character as being 20-ish in 1989, which would make him in his mid-50s now. This series needs a Flashpoint to clear up the timeline.
This is an insane amount of stuff to work through, even in a 2 1/2 hour movie. And you feel the bloat.
I've been fully on board with this sort of second era of this franchise. The first 4 movies operate in almost an entirely different universe than they have since Fast Five re-molded the franchise into the behemoth that it has become.
My favorite in the series will forever remain the very first one. But I have loved 5-8 as well. I think these are some of the best action movies of this century. And I don't like these movies ironically as some seem to. I think they are genuinely good movies even as far as the story goes.
I liked F9 too, but not nearly as much as 5-8 and think that for the first time this franchise has become a little TOO much. Too much what? Everything. F9 is an exhausting movie to sit through. This movie has SO many characters and SO much plot and SO many locations and SO many set pieces that it has to fly by at such a frenetic place that you are exhausted just trying to keep track of everything.
In this case, less really would have been more. F9 has probably at least 3 full movies smashed into one 2 1/2 hour movie.
The main plot involves the introduction of Vin Diesel's heretofore unmentioned younger brother (John Cena) who is involved in trying to get a Macguffin which will enable him to control all the world's satellites. Sure. Pretty sure this was almost the exact same plot as the last movie, except that time it was Charlize Theron trying to rule the world.
So the usual crew assembles to stop Cena. Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, and a returning Jordana Brewster. The Paul Walker character, still alive in this universe, is babysitting the kids. A good excuse as any, I suppose.
But this cast is anything but small. Sung Kang's Han is back from the dead. It's no secret, as the trailer made a big point of telling you he was back. His death that was the entire catalyst for Furious 7? It was faked. Sure, why not? Han also has a young girl he is the guardian for, who can do kung fu and who plays a key role in the plot.
But we also get other returning people from the series. Lucas Black and Bow Wow from Tokyo Drift (plus another guy who may have been in it too). Kurt Russell pops up briefly. Helen Mirren has one terrific scene. Theron is here too, largely imprisoned behind glass like Hannibal Lecter. Don Omar. Shea Whigham. Michael Rooker has a role. Cena has a bad guy associate who is like the money man. There's even an inexplicable Cardi B cameo. Yet this series still hasn't brought back Eva Mendes.
AND a chunk of the movie is flashbacks showing the younger Diesel and Cena. Oh yeah, this movie is a prequel of itself. It also establishes Diesel's character as being 20-ish in 1989, which would make him in his mid-50s now. This series needs a Flashpoint to clear up the timeline.
This is an insane amount of stuff to work through, even in a 2 1/2 hour movie. And you feel the bloat.
This entry ups the action insanity to an untoppable degree. Even as the series' action has become bigger and more elaborate, they have kept things reasonably grounded most of the time (limiting the real crazy stuff to a couple highlights per movie). F9 abandons all laws of physics for the duration. Cars, trucks, people...everything flies through the air however the movie chooses to have them do so. There is a giant magnet that figures into some of the action. And yes, a couple characters wind up in space. The joke becomes reality, albeit in a pretty fun scene.
There's some fx work in the action in this that looks awfully fake, but for the most part the set pieces do deliver.
Most of the ensemble slips back in effortlessly. Rodriguez and Gibson are particular standouts this time. Too bad Cena, who has been good in some acting gigs, is a complete dullard here.
F9 delivers on a base level, but the feeling I got from it is that this franchise is running out of gas (even Hobbs and Shaw wasn't as good as it should have been). I simply do not see how it can go any bigger. And I don't see how it can ever be as popular as it was at its peak with Furious 7 (this one has been much less well received both here and globally).
A tenth film is for sure coming, but I would call it a day after that or just pivot to spinoff movies.
There's some fx work in the action in this that looks awfully fake, but for the most part the set pieces do deliver.
Most of the ensemble slips back in effortlessly. Rodriguez and Gibson are particular standouts this time. Too bad Cena, who has been good in some acting gigs, is a complete dullard here.
F9 delivers on a base level, but the feeling I got from it is that this franchise is running out of gas (even Hobbs and Shaw wasn't as good as it should have been). I simply do not see how it can go any bigger. And I don't see how it can ever be as popular as it was at its peak with Furious 7 (this one has been much less well received both here and globally).
A tenth film is for sure coming, but I would call it a day after that or just pivot to spinoff movies.
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