Jason Momoa is Villainous Standout in Fast X

When Paul Walker passed away it was a forgone conclusion the Fast and Furious franchise would barely be able to thrive.  Ten films later, it has not only thrived, but become a staple of summer blockbusters for nearly ten years

Needless to say, over many missions and against near impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted and outdriven every foe put in their path. Now, Toretto and friends must confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced. Fueled by revenge, a terrifying threat emerges from the shadows of the past to shatter Dom’s world and destroy everything and everyone  he loves.

One thing I can say is this franchise never disappoints on the heart stopping stunts, fight sequences and star power.  This time the new faces, in addition to the core four, are Rita Moreno as Abuelita and Jason Momoa as Dante.  Trust me when I tell you that these two are hands down the only reason you will want to check out this new chapter.

Momoa, as a conductor wielding villain dressed like The Joker, is mesmerizing with every scene he inhabits. He was a much welcomed shot in the arm for the franchise.  Rita Moreno bring heart and soul, as only she can, with a warm. loving scene alongside Diesel.  Although the franchise has been highly praised for its diverse cast, it has become more than annoying to see that after ten films Ludcaris and Tyrese have provided nothing more than a buddy comedy punchline to each film and the women characters have mostly been reduced to babysitters for their male counterparts.  It would be nice to see the women get their own chapters and the Black men be treated with more substance and less comic relief just once before the upcoming final two films.

After the last chapter left us with Black men in space, I figured there was no where to go but up. Having said all of that, most of this film was absolutely ridiculous. However,  as a colleague pointed out  on a social media platform, it is this quality fans know and love.  And, while that may very well be true, can we trim it down a bit and not have a film full of cameos and short on substance moving forward?  Not hating…just saying.

Fast X in now playing in theaters worldwide.