movie review on fast and furious 9

I didn’t have many notes on “F9,” the latest installment in the “Fast and Furious” series, but one near the top of the first page could stand in for the others: “Oh, sure, why not?” 

That was in response to a moment showcased in trailers and ads, wherein street racer and thief turned globetrotting super-spy Dominic “Dom” Toretto ( Vin Diesel ) evades pursuers during a jungle chase by triggering the rocket booster on his souped-up vehicle, soaring off the edge of a cliff, and using a cable he’s fired into a mountain on the other side to swing him and his wife and espionage partner Letty Ortiz ( Michelle Rodriguez ) to safety. Like Tarzan on a vine. That’s the kind of film this is: an “Oh, sure, why not?” film. James Bond meets the Road Runner cartoons. Remember in “Commando,” when John Matrix, held hostage by a dictator’s goon on a commercial flight, kills him in his seat with a neck snap as the plane is preparing for takeoff without anyone noticing, then crawls into a landing gear housing and drops into a swamp conveniently located at the end of the runway? Or when the good guys in “ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ” leap out of a crashing plane with an inflatable yellow raft instead of parachutes, inflate the raft on the way down, plop onto a snowy mountain embankment at an angle that leaves them all unharmed, and slalom till they get to a river?

“F9” is like that. All of it. 

If, as more than one fan has noted, the “F&F” films have turned into an international, multicultural, hip-hop-friendly answer to James Bond, the last few have been Roger Moore-era Bonds. The only question is whether this new one is “ Moonraker ” or “Octopussy.” I vote “Moonraker” because a satellite figures into the plot. I would describe said plot in more detail if I thought I could keep it straight, and if I thought it mattered, but it doesn’t. Plot was never the reason people went to these films. The appeal lies in the chases and stunts, the bruising fights and mythic posturing, in the repeated invocations of [ rumbling Vin Diesel voice ] FAMMMM-LY , and in the soap opera/professional wrestling-style storytelling, which allows bad guys to become good guys and introduces new characters that we’re told mean the world to an established character even though nobody in the previous films mentioned their name before.

In “F9,” the character is Dom’s long-lost brother Jakob Toretto ( John Cena ), who disappeared from Dom’s life in 1989 after being blamed for a car crash that killed their car-racer dad. In the present day, Dom is living off the grid with Letty and their son when Roman ( Tyrese Gibson ), Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) and Ramsey ( Nathalie Emmanuel ) show up to inform them that national security bigwig Mr. Nobody ( Kurt Russell ) captured their old antagonist Cipher ( Charlize Theron , introduced in “ The Fate of the Furious “), but the plane taking her to prison was attacked by rogue agents and crashed in the fictional Central American nation of Montequinto. Cut to Montequinto, where the gang combs through the wreck while dressed as if they’re going to a barbecue. Turns out Jakob is behind the crash and brought Cipher to his boss, a young, rich Northern European psycho named Otto ( Thue Ersted Rasmussen ). Otto wants to acquire and assemble two halves of a top secret device that can control the security networks of every country on the planet. He also has a dad who is referred to but never seen. (Cast Mads Mikkelsen in the tenth film, you cowards.)

The espionage aspect gets even more complicated from there. And, as in most entries in the back half of this franchise, none of the twists matter in any meaningful sense, except when they jack into the idea of Dom’s band of brothers and sisters as an improvised family of outsiders, one that sometimes includes people related by blood but more often is based upon shared values, loyalty, and a willingness to die for the tribe. To that end, Diesel and Cena take the “long lost brother who did a heel turn” thing drop-dead seriously. They play it like it’s grand opera. I guess this is the most admirable and risky way to play it—kudos to any actor willing to look ridiculous, which is constantly a risk in this series—even though there are times when you might recall that in other projects, both Cena and Diesel have been funny, and nobody asked them to even smile here. It’s all dark-and-stormy, all the time. After a certain point Cena’s scowling, glowering, and jaw-flexing gets a bit dull. You may start wishing the movie would skip ahead to the big confrontation between Dom and Jakob that Settles All Family Business. The concluding moments between the characters are moving, though, in a World Wrestling Entertainment sort of way.

The action set-pieces are thrilling and intentionally hilarious, though the digital effects and compositing vary in quality. Some shots bring fantastic panoramas and impossible stunts to life in a way that makes you believe they could happen. Others look like images from that horrible early aughts era when Hollywood filmmakers asked effects houses to do things the technology would not yet support. There’s a gleefully deranged subplot about two-thirds of the way through that gives fans what they’ve been only half-jokingly saying that they wanted from the franchise for years now. And the Montequinto section suggests what might happen if Dom and company visited Jurassic Park (the CGI’d shots of cars and trucks on winding rainforest roads are so gloriously primeval that you wouldn’t be surprised if the crew was attacked by velociraptors). 

What else do you need to know? There’s a truck chase at the end that could’ve been an outtake from the 2007 “ Speed Racer ,” and a long action scene where a character rappels from one end of a city to another, or so it seems because the sequence goes on for what feels like half a day, the rappeller defying both gravity and city planning a la Spider-Man. Helen Mirren has a cameo as Magdalene Shaw, mother of Deckard, Owen, and Hattie Shaw, a sixtysomething jewel thief who dresses like Helen Mirren and drives like Frank Bullitt. Dom rides shotgun as Magdalene roars through London at night. Magdalene delivers exposition with a sexy smirk. Dom asks clarifying questions. They might as well be sitting in a coffee shop. 

Characters you thought were dead turn out not to be (again, a standard trope in both wrestling and soap operas) and characters who are presented as evil turn out to be good, or at least not beyond redemption (ditto; the franchise also goes the other way when it feels like it). Like the Bond films and “ Mission: Impossible ,” these are superhero movies where nobody wears a cape, although the red leather pants that Cipher sports when she’s imprisoned in a glass box have a Catwoman-goes-to-Studio 54 exuberance. (You can tell director Justin Lin loved the leather pants because he keeps Theron in them all the way through the film. Theron delivers many of her lines while looking over her shoulder, the better for the audience to admire how much time she spends at the gym.) 

Gibson and Bridges make a splendid comedy team, as always, and Rodriguez grounds her scenes with Diesel in emotional reality, giving them a weight that the rest of the film doesn’t have, and mostly isn’t interested in. Diesel holds the thing together through sheer mopey majesty. Middle-aged Dom is a depressive he-man, a sad sack doom-racer. Lin photographs him as if he’s a posthumous statue of himself. It’s startling to realize how long Diesel has been playing Dom and how much the character has changed. Dom is Diesel’s Rocky Balboa, his Indiana Jones. In the first movie, he was an antihero, a badass who was good when circumstances required it (like his other great recurring character, Riddick). At some point, though, maybe after the last film he did with Paul Walker , Diesel started to seem bigger, older, and more tragic: Dom weighed down by responsibilities to his family, and Diesel perhaps by his commitment to a franchise he has a stake in.

Now Dom swaggers more deliberately, brokenly, gut-first, his face radiating hard-won wisdom, his hamhock arms arced in a pincer shape. He’s Popeye the Sailor cast as Atlas, setting the world down only to kick ass. He kicks much ass in this one. There’s even a scene where Dom fights a dozen guys barehanded. At one point in the melee, Lin, practically winking at us, cuts to an overhead shot of the combatants piled on Dom like children piled on an adult. Dom has stopped moving. Is he dead? Hell, no. Bodies will fly through the air like potato sacks. The character and the franchise are indestructible. 

Available in theaters on June 25.

Matt Zoller Seitz

Matt Zoller Seitz is the Editor-at-Large of RogerEbert.com, TV critic for New York Magazine and Vulture.com, and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism.

• Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto
• Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz
• Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce
• Ludacris as Tej Parker
• Nathalie Emmanuel as Ramsey
• John Cena as Jakob Toretto
• Sung Kang as Han Lue
• Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto
• Charlize Theron as Cipher
• Helen Mirren as Magdalene 'Queenie' Shaw
• Kurt Russell as Mr. Nobody
• Vincent Sinclair Diesel as Younger Dom
• Finn Cole as Young Jakob
• Thue Ersted Rasmussen as Otto
• Vinnie Bennett as Young Dom
• J. D. Pardo as Jack Toretto
• Michael Rooker as Buddy
• Cardi B as Leysa
• Bad Bunny as Lookout

Writer (story by)

• Alfredo Botello
• Daniel Casey
• Brian Tyler
• Dylan Highsmith
• Greg D’Auria
• Kelly Matsumoto

Writer (based on characters created by)

• Gary Scott Thompson

Cinematographer

• Stephen F. Windon

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Fast and Furious 9 review: Over the top? Check

It's the Godfather II of cartoon car crash movies.

Vin Diesel (right) and friends have nine lives in the latest Fast and Furious film.

Vroom! Bwoosh! Flex! Vin Diesel! John Cena! At long last, it's Fast and Furious 9. Cars! Magnets! Explosions! None of it matters! Caaaars !

Originally planned for May last year, Fast and Furious 9 (formerly known as F9) is out now. Back in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic  F9 was one of the first blockbusters to bump its release date , and now lands just as theaters reopen in the US and UK. That means F9 isn't streaming on HBO Max or any other streaming service, so obviously you should follow local guidelines and attend any venue only if you feel safe and comfortable. It's only a movie. But however and whenever you see Fast and Furious 9, rest assured that what you're going to see is a movie . Like, possibly the movie-est movie that ever movied. 

From the opening shot to the fan-pleasing post-credits scene, F9 is packed with all the over-the-top stunts, muscular emoting and general balls-to-the-wall ridiculousness you expect from the Fast and Furious franchise, and Hollywood in general. Returning director  Justin Lin  is one of the Fast and Furious cast who endlessly cycle in and out of the now lengthy series, and while none of the F9 cast will have known they were making the film that welcomed society back to movie theaters, they're clearly having the kind of awesome time we all need right now. Look, cinema is a medium that can intensify the most exquisite emotion, or it's a medium where a supercar can turbo-boost off a cliff and be caught by a fighter plane. Cinema is rad as hell .

In this ninth installment of the automotive action-fest, Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez have retired to the farm from Avengers: Infinity War and are devoted to living off the grid with curly-haired Little Brian. But when their old crime crew comes a-calling, neither can resist running round the world in muscle tees and muscle cars doing jacked-up superspy shizz. This time, A-Team-style consequence-free shootouts with unspecified military dudes lead to one half of some superweapon thing. What is it? Who cares, dude. All that matters is Vin and the gang find themselves on the wrong side of a face from the past.

Scratch that: All that matters is stuff starts blowing up and pretty much never stops. There's a moment in Fast and Furious 9 when Chris "Ludacris" Bridges says, "As long as we obey the laws of physics, we'll be fine." What he neglects to mention is these are the laws of physics as laid down by Looney Tunes cartoons. I'm not even kidding; several of this movie's set pieces are built around a literal giant magnet. It might as well arrive in a crate with ACME written on the side. At this point, you expect Fast 10 and 11 to end with Vin and his chums painting a tunnel on a mountain and driving into it. And then blowing it up, obviously.

Vin Diesel and John Cena feel stuff!

The action inflation across the series' nine ( and a bit ) films means stunts that would have been showstoppers in earlier movies are casually dashed off left and right. When Vin Diesel and new villain John Cena leapfrog across moving trucks and hurl themselves into thin air several stories from the ground, it's just a way of getting from over there to over here.

This constant cartoon nonsense is undoubtedly pretty wearing, but with so many people in the cast, there's space to pump the brakes and just hang out with the familiar familia for a spell. The women in the film all do better than in most films of this ilk, with Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, newcomer Anna Sawai and pearly queen Helen Mirren all doing their bit to drive the plot (until the light changes to green again, and it's back to Vin's pecs and cars smashing into each other).

Michelle Rodriguez saddles up.

Meanwhile, Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson are by now well established as the comedy relief, so every now and again the film just stops to watch them goof off. Nothing they say qualifies as an actual joke exactly, and their schtick is a major contributor to this thing being two and a half damn hours long.

Their only gag that feels like it might have come from something resembling a script is a conversation about how the gang must be actually indestructible to survive so much insane stuff. It's kind of a funny bit, although it emphasizes how the increasingly hair-raising violence has zero consequences.

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It's a cliche at this point to boggle at how far these ridiculous action sequences have drifted from the relatively grounded first film -- which was inspired by a true story! But F9 highlights that distance by introducing a prequel element showing the origin story of the Toretto family. Yup, this is the Godfather II of the Fast and Furious movies.

While the flashbacks make the villain a compellingly intimate nemesis, John Cena is one of the weaker links here. Unlike Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, whose appearance turbo-boosted the series onto a different track a few films back, Cena makes an underwhelming antagonist. Still, it's cool to see a steroid-jacked flick like this depict such stereotypically masculine physicality undermined by such emotional fragility.

Yeah, you heard me. I just said "Godfather II" and "emotional fragility" in a review of a Fast and Furious movie. Didn't see that coming, did you?

Look, Fast and Furious 9 may be a legit terrible film, with its sprawling cast, predictable soap opera twists and endless computer-enhanced nonsense violence. But damn, it's a good time at the movies. Fast! Furious! Family! Vroooommm!

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Fast & Furious 9 Review

24 Jun 2021

Fast & Furious 9

For a series that, at least for a while, used to be about nitro-injected street cred and grease-monkey car culture, the Fast & Furious movies really only have two gears. You’ve got fast and you’ve got furious. Stunts have gotten bigger, glossier and faker, but even at their worst, they’ve always been speedy, dangerously so. And just as crucially, every utterance about family out of Vin Diesel ’s mouth has a ponderous solemnity to it. That’s the furious part. Over 20 years, the plots have detoured into globe-hopping spy nonsense — and these muscle cars have definitely hopped, sometimes with their own parachutes — yet the white-hot melodrama has skyrocketed in tandem.

Director Justin Lin , who perfected the formula with 2011’s deliriously dumb Fast Five , is back in charge after sitting out two laps, during which the production grappled with the untimely death of co-star Paul Walker and some intra-actor bitchiness. Lin’s Fast & Furious 9 feels like a rejuvenation. That’s not just the fumes talking. (It’s a thrill to be back in front of something big and loud.) The film is a return to principles, and if it goes off the rails into pure silliness — almost irredeemably at one point — there’s at least an ethos to it.

We begin in flashback: It’s 1989, and a horrifying raceway crash is about to take the life of a stock car driver. His two teenage sons watch from the pit. One is the young man who, thousands of pull-ups later, will become Diesel’s growly Dominic Toretto. But there’s also a younger brother, Jakob, who may have caused the accident. It’s exactly the kind of suspicion that produces decades-long estrangement and, hopefully, a decent villain for a sequel. Unfortunately, the adult Jakob is played by an extra-smarmy John Cena , effective in comedies like Trainwreck , but hardly intimidating enough to pull off a proper antagonist to granite-faced Mount Vin.

Lin’s Fast & Furious 9 feels like a rejuvenation.

Still, a molten core of domestic tension is established (family!) and you can semi-forgive the awkward story mechanics that reintroduce Jakob as some kind of bad guy funded by an obnoxious billionaire millennial, Otto (Thue Ersted Rasmussen), who wants both halves of a black, orb-like MacGuffin so he can commandeer the defence systems of the world. Already Lin and co-screenwriter Daniel Casey are bored with it themselves. Less than half an hour in and we’re racing through a Central American jungle over exploding landmines, driving over precarious rope bridges, and sling-shotting cars around mountain passes on wires, like a ridiculous version of Raiders Of The Lost Ark ’s opening sequence cast with vehicles instead of people.

These movies can be hard on the actors, at least the ones intent on acting. For most of F9 , Charlize Theron — whose mystifyingly dull terrorist Cipher returns from the last one — sits in a glass box with air holes in it, like she’s Hannibal Lecter. The film doesn’t know what to do with her. But Michelle Rodriguez , as Dom’s longtime squeeze, Letty, still seems on a post- Widows roll, fleshing out her motorbiker with flashes of emotional depth, even when she lands on the hot hood of her man’s speeding car. Helen Mirren , meanwhile, knows exactly how to fit the shape that’s required: her jewel thief’s sole scene is a chase through glitzy nighttime London, swapping banter with Dom, her “favourite American”. Of course, she’s behind the wheel.

Superfans will cheer the return of another character from beyond the grave. But when the VFX are this brazenly weightless, your eyes may already be wandering to the corner of the screen to see how many lives are left. There’s a mysterious physics to these F&F films: not the laws of gravity or real-world kineticism, but that of catastrophic urban damage with zero casualties. A high-powered magnet smashing cars through buildings is at the core of F9 ’s strongest action sequence. Elsewhere, two of Dom’s most bickersome associates are launched into outer space in a cherry-red Pontiac for no rational reason whatsoever . You might smile at the lunkheadedness of the whole enterprise —that is, if you’re feeling generous.

Two decades on, the franchise has a touch of self-deprecation to it, as well as an intimation of its own “invincibility”, both earned. There’s even dialogue to that effect, threatening to break the fourth wall. In actuality, we’ve all seen how precarious blockbusters can be without a season of moviegoers to welcome them. F9 isn’t the perfect summer movie, but it’s close enough: a reminder of the highs, lows and longueurs that mark the escapism we need.

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All Fast & Furious Movies Ranked

From bursting out the nose of an exploding plane, to skipping skyscraper to skyscraper, to gently guiding a bank safe across public roads and additional civil engineering, the Fast & Furious franchise has made its mission delivering more outrageous action than the previous movies could ever muster. And as the stunts got crazier for Dom (Vin Diesel), Brian (Paul Walker), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and the whole F&F -in’ family, critics were just as willing to go along for the ride. It was finally the fifth Furious film that earned the franchise’s first Fresh. And since then it’s been on a skyward trajectory, like a souped-up Karmann Ghia ramping off an Arrakis sandworm and barrel rolling between a fleet of nuclear dirigibles (you know we’re heading in this direction). Furious 7 reached a high emotional crescendo in the wake of Walker’s death, while follow-up F8 saw a dip, though stayed in the Fresh lane.

Furious 7 (2015) 81%

Fast Five (2011) 78%

Fast & Furious 6 (2013) 71%

Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) 67%

The Fate of the Furious (2017) 67%

F9 The Fast Saga (2021) 59%

The Fast and the Furious (2001) 54%

Fast X (2023) 56%

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) 37%

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) 37%

Fast & Furious (2009) 28%

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Fast & Furious 9 Review: F9 Is the Most Comprehensive Fast & Furious, Yet Still Feels Incomplete

A poorly-used john cena can’t mask justin lin’s gimmicks and meta discussions..

Photo Credit: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, John Cena as Jakob Toretto in Fast & Furious 9

• Fast & Furious 9 released September 2 in India
• Available in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
• Vin Diesel and John Cena lead F9 movie cast

Thirty-five minutes in, Fast & Furious 9 — finally released in Indian cinemas — has its most interesting idea. Tyrese Gibson's comic-relief Roman Pearce suggests that the Fast crew might be invincible. That's F9 acknowledging the team's superhero status that became clear to the audience a few movies ago. This meta discussion almost feels like co-writers Daniel Casey and Justin Lin (who is also the director) are commenting on the criticisms levied against the Fast & Furious series. It also imparts a degree of self-awareness to F9, allowing the new chapter to get in on the big joke that its characters seem to survive anything and everything. Charlize Theron gets in on the act later too, tying a fellow villain's predicament to film structure. F9 knows it's a Fast & Furious movie — and that they do not make sense.

This is also the same underlying principle for many of its stunts, including Lin's new toy: electromagnets. Actually, let me rephrase that, GIANT electromagnets. The 49-year-old Taiwan native and Fast & Furious veteran has always loved an action gimmick — he gave us the unstoppable bank vault in Fast Five , with Vin Diesel and Paul Walker dragging it across the streets of Rio de Janeiro. And Lin has now upgraded his tech on Fast & Furious 9 . Those aforementioned superpowered electromagnets are responsible for all sorts of mayhem and unexpected consequences. But that's not even the craziest part. F9 is the first Fast & Furious movie that takes the Fast family into space. This is not a joke, the trailers were real, they are actually in space. Again, it makes no sense — but it's not even supposed to anymore.

Fast & Furious 9 is also — by my admittedly poor recollection of the previous eight mainline films — the first entry in The Fast Saga to have extensive flashback scenes. There's The Fast and the Furious vibes to some of it. There's even an actual drag race, so nostalgic. We spend time with a young Dom (Vinnie Bennett), his brother Jakob (Finn Cole), their dad Jack (J. D. Pardo), alongside glimpses of Mia (Siena Agudong) and Letty (Azia Dinea Hale). Gal Gadot's Gisele appears through archival footage. And oh, Han Lue (Sung Kang) is back — in case you missed that whole reveal in the news last year. What I mean to say is that Fast & Furious 9 brings back virtually everyone we know, put together in one film — F9 is essentially a compendium of The Fast Saga. But it's still incomplete.

From Money Heist to F9, What to Watch in September

“It's not about being the stronger man Dom. It's about being the bigger one,” Jack Toretto says to his elder son early in Fast & Furious 9. The line is meant to foreshadow the confrontation between the (older) Toretto brothers, Dom (Vin Diesel) and Jakob (John Cena) that forms the film's emotional bedrock — but funnily enough, it also works as a lesson for Diesel and Co., who refuse to look weak on-screen and throw a fight , going so far to put it in their contracts. In F9, a tragedy divides the family and the brothers go their own way, until a fateful meeting two decades later in Central America, where Jakob shows up and steals a MacGuffin from under the Fast crew, who were lured there to help Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell).

That kicks off a crazy globetrotting plot, stretching from Tokyo, London, Edinburgh, Cologne, Tbilisi, Caspian Sea, to space. Wait, is it still globe trotting if you leave the globe? That decision splits Fast & Furious 9 into parallel narratives, as the team pursues separate missions to stop Jakob's plan. Dom's wife Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez) and sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) set off for Tokyo where they discover Han (Kang) is back from the dead, Roman (Gibson) and his buddy Tej Parker (Ludacris) are sent off to Cologne that leads to some Tokyo Drift reunions (for the audience), and Dom roams around Britain on his own for a bit — accompanied by delightful cameos from the returning Helen Mirren and new entrant rapper Cardi B — until the rest of the crew joins him anyway.

Dividing the Fast & Furious ensemble allows F9 to have them play off each other in a more rewarding limited-setting fashion. The Tokyo scenes give us nice character moments between Letty and Mia — they also provide a brief peek at what that rumoured in-the-works female Fast & Furious spin-off might look like. The returning Kang doesn't have much to do though, and seems to be back for narrative reasons purely. Nathalie Emmanuel's tech-expert Ramsey, who reveals she can't actually drive in a film filled with racers, gets to have some funny action moments. As for humorous dialogue, Ludacris actually provides more of the laughs than Gibson — and Charlize Theron's returning villain Cipher delivers an extended non-family-friendly Star Wars reference that Disney would never approve of.

Fast & Furious 9 Box Office Crosses $700 Million Ahead of India Release

Michelle Rodriguez as Letty Ortiz, Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto in Fast & Furious 9 Photo Credit: Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Unfortunately, the wonderful Theron is largely wasted once more. It's made all the more awkward because F9 seems to take a shot at how Fast & Furious 8 didn't use her properly. Does Lin realise he's doing the same thing? To me, her presence felt like they want us to know she's still around. Maybe they are “saving” her for the next one: Fast & Furious 10 (or FX, if Diesel shaving his son's head is meant to be a clue). But F9's biggest crime is how it deploys Cena. His Jakob Toretto is a self-serious villain and the film treats him seriously too, unlike Fast & Furious 9's self-aware and fun-laden approach elsewhere. It's just not the right move. Look to The Suicide Squad and how James Gunn makes better use of Cena , where his character is also self-serious but the movie knows he's a bit of a joke.

It's unfortunate — Cena just isn't good at contorting his face muscles the way other male stars in Diesel, Dwayne Johnson (who's missing here due to a tiff with Diesel ), and Jason Statham (in a cameo at the very end), have honed themselves for over the years. As a result, that really brings down Fast & Furious 9, because Cena is in so much of it. At 130 minutes, F9 is also definitely overlong. I would have loved if Lin truly embraced the film's meta discussion, in how this ragtag gang of race car drivers turned into superheroes at some point, but maybe that vein will continue in the two-part finale, due in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Speaking of, having brought back everyone, Lin has been talking about bringing back Brian O'Conner (Walker) too, with help from CGI and his brothers. Now that's going too far.

Fast & Furious 9 is released Thursday, September 2 in India in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu.

F9 (Fast & Furious 9)

• Release Date 2 September 2021
• Language English
• Genre Action
• Cast Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, John Cena, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Sung Kang, Helen Mirren, Charlize Theron
• Director Justin Lin
• Producer Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Joe Roth, Justin Lin, Clayton Townsend, Samantha Vincent

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Movie review: Fast And Furious 9

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We have come to that point in the Fast saga where the road leads us in the direction of the impossible and the unbelievable.

But with star-producer Vin Diesel and former writer-director Justin Lin back in the driver's seat, fans will not really care if they are, well, taken for a ride - as long as there is scenery to enjoy.

And yes, Fast And Furious 9 is packed with plenty of sights and sounds we have never seen before.

Opening in cinemas here today, this sequel is a legit popcorn fest that is best enjoyed on the big screen.

Expect more outrageous and exhilarating set pieces, wilder action and hand-on-heart attempts at digging deeper into the theme of family.

It is over the top, and then some.

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For instance, fitting massive electromagnets onto cars and using it as a weapon turns out to be a pretty nifty trick.

Even more bonkers is watching Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Ludacris) suit up like astronauts to enter orbit in a rocketised Pontiac Fiero.

If space is indeed the final frontier, where can the franchise go from here when there are still two movies left?

But hey, no time to ask questions, these guys are saving the world okay?

Fast And Furious 9 has managed to defy all laws of gravity, physics and logic, and it is on the brink of parody.

So the film-makers counter that by getting a suddenly self-aware Roman to almost break the fourth wall by acknowledging how "not normal" all of it is.

He even thinks the whole crew are "invincible" as they always emerge from disaster unscathed.

Any time the audience is driven to distraction, comic relief comes in as a temporary remedy before the film continues to rev forward.

And don't get me started on how Han (Sung Kang), who appeared in films four to seven and died in a fiery explosion in 2006's Tokyo Drift, is miraculously alive and rejoins the crew. It is yet another ridiculous thing we simply have to accept, and move on.

Charlize Theron reprises her role as cyber-terrorist Cipher, the main villain from Fast And Furious 8, but unfortunately spends almost all her screen time incarcerated in a glass room, glaring at and exchanging barbs with the new bad guy Jakob (John Cena).

Now that Dwayne Johnson is out of the picture, Diesel replaces The Rock with another WWE superstar to go toe to toe with.

Cena does a fine job as the brother who cannot seem to step out of golden boy Dom's (Diesel) shadow, and the backstory of their strained relationship via multiple flashbacks does keep us engaged.

So just when you think the Fast saga has used up everything in its tank, it looks like those wheels will keep on turning to the finish line.

SCORE: 3.5/5

MOVIE: Fast And Furious 9

STARRING: Vin Diesel, John Cena, Tyrese Gibson, Charlize Theron, Michelle RodriguezWRITER-DIRECTOR: Justin Lin

THE SKINNY: Dom Toretto (Diesel) and his crew join forces to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they have ever encountered – who also happens to be Dom’s estranged brother (Cena).

RATING: PG13

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Dom and the crew must take on an international terrorist who turns out to be Dom and Mia's estranged brother.

F9: The Fast Saga

Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena, next year’s The Suicide Squad).

Fast & Furious Filmmakers Hit With $1 Million Fine After Stuntman Left Brain Damaged in On-Set Accident.

A serious brain injury sustained by an F9 stuntman in 2019 has led the production company being handed a massive fine by a U.K. court.

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Real life astronaut Chris Hadfield breaks down the best and the worst of the Fast & Furious space sequence from F9.

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John Cena Would Love to Return for Fast 10

F9 star John Cena hopes that audiences will see him back as Jakob Toretto in Fast 10.

Justin Lin Discussed Final Arc of Fast Saga With Paul Walker Decade Ago

Lin, who was roped in first to helm The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, will culminate the franchise with a two-part tenth installment.

No Time to Die Races Past F9 as Highest Grossing Movie of 2021

Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond my have had its critics, but No Time to Die is now the biggest Hollywood movie of the year.

Fast & Furious 10 Director Confirms That the Final Chapter Will Be Two Movies

F9 director Justin Lin provides an update on the final two installments of The Fast and Furious saga, revealing that Fast 10 and Fast 11 will tell the last chapter.

F9 Star Wants to Play Young Dominic Toretto in Fast & Furious Spinoff Series

Vinnie Bennett, who plays a younger version of Vin Diesel's Dominic Toretto in F9, thinks there's more enough to explore in a spin-off series.

The Rock Probably Won't Return for Two-Part Fast & Furious Finale

Dwayne Johnson did not discuss a potential Hobbs and Shaw sequel when admitting he'll probably stay away from Fast and Furious 10.

F9 Speeds Past $500 Million at the Worldwide Box Office

The franchise sequel has become the first movie since 2019 to pass the half billion global milestone as it zooms towards the top of the year's domestic earners.

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Fast & Furious Races Past X-Men as 5th Biggest Franchise in Box Office History

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The F9 cast are in complete agreement that the women of the movie series should be the ones getting the next Fast and Furious spinoff.

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Vin Diesel says he's been 'dying' his whole life to do a musical and would be up for starring in one based on The Fast and the Furious.

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The latest in the Fast & Furious franchise has the highest opening day and weekend since the pandemic took place.

Vin Diesel Teases Fast & Furious Franchise Ending: There Are Reasons for a Finale

Speaking to the Associated Press, the actor who has led the cast in 8 movies so far, said that there is a plan for a conclusion to the franchise.

Cardi B Will Return for Fast & Furious 10

Vin Diesel has confirmed that Cardi B's appearance in F9 is more than just a one-off as she will be back in the next sequel F10.

Vin Diesel Reveals Motivation Behind Fast & Furious Feud with The Rock

While Vin Diesel and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson have squashed their beef, we now have some new insight on the trouble, dating back to Fast Five.

The Fast and the Furious 20th Anniversary Celebration Video Arrives as Fans Await F9

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The fast and the furious.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 19 Reviews
• Kids Say 65 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Flashy street-racing movie with violence, profanity, sexism.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Fast and the Furious is a heist film that spawned a franchise that includes sequels, spin-offs, and an animated series. Violence includes non-graphic shoot-outs that leave one character dead and another seriously wounded. There are photos of an injured man, though it's not gory…

Why Age 13+?

The "N" word is used once. A character is called a "f--got." A couple instances

A woman's breasts are shown through a wet shirt. A woman tells a driver at the s

Frequent street races and car chases. Pictures of a man after he was beaten in t

Corona beer bottles are prominently shown. A character drinks Snapple. Pizza Hut

Characters drink at a house party and smoke cigarettes.

Any Positive Content?

Main characters come from various racial-ethnic backgrounds and though they're g

Though the movie tries to show depth to the characters -- one mourns the loss of

Family and friendship are important values.

The "N" word is used once. A character is called a "f--got." A couple instances of "f--k." "S--t," "hell," and "bastard" are all used. In one scene, two women are called "skanks."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A woman's breasts are shown through a wet shirt. A woman tells a driver at the starting line of a street race that if he wins, he gets to have a threesome with her and another woman. Characters kiss passionately in a few scenes. Background characters also kiss in suggestive ways meant to excite the racers.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Violence & Scariness

Frequent street races and car chases. Pictures of a man after he was beaten in the face repeatedly with a wrench. A character gets a nozzle shoved into his mouth and is forced to drink motor oil. The same person is later kicked in the head. A trucker fires a shotgun at drivers trying to hijack his truck. Machine-gun fire in a drive-by shooting. A character gets hit in the head with a baseball bat. A fistfight results in visible blood. Explosions, but nothing graphic. Men grope at women's breasts and rear ends without consent.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Corona beer bottles are prominently shown. A character drinks Snapple. Pizza Hut logo featured on a pizza-delivery vehicle. And the film itself is the first of many sequels.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Diverse Representations

Main characters come from various racial-ethnic backgrounds and though they're gang members, they're also the film's heroes. Female characters are binary, either tough women with agency like Letty, or objectified eye candy in skimpy outfits that follow the cars and their drivers. Two women kiss (not romantically; it's done to excite racers -- most of them men). A character has ADHD.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Positive Role Models

Though the movie tries to show depth to the characters -- one mourns the loss of his father, another has ADHD -- the time devoted to the unrelenting car races and chases prevents any further developments. Despite being a gang leader, Dominic believes in loyalty to friends and family.

Positive Messages

Parents need to know that The Fast and the Furious is a heist film that spawned a franchise that includes sequels, spin-offs, and an animated series. Violence includes non-graphic shoot-outs that leave one character dead and another seriously wounded. There are photos of an injured man, though it's not gory. Characters drink and smoke. Corona beer seems to be an especially obvious product placement, and giving someone a beer is a gesture of honor and acceptance. Characters kiss, including same-sex kissing, and women are constantly objectified. Men grope at women's breasts and rear ends. A woman's breasts are shown through a wet shirt. A woman tells a driver at the starting line of a street race that if he wins, he gets to have a threesome with her and another woman. Characters use strong language, including "f--k," the "N" word, and "f--got." Characters are frequently in extreme peril, both in racing and in shoot-outs. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (19)
• Kids say (65)

Based on 19 parent reviews

This movie was really good and great it just had to much cuss and sex I like it

What's the story.

In THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS, Brian ( Paul Walker ) is an LAPD officer who's sent to infiltrate the hidden world of street racers. He also becomes interested in Mia ( Jordana Brewster ), the sister of gang leader -- and the fastest driver of them all -- Dom ( Vin Diesel ). Brian quickly becomes a member of Dom's ragtag team of outcasts, which includes mechanic Jesse (Chad Lindberg), brooding Vince (Matt Schulze), and fellow racer Letty ( Michelle Rodriguez ). But after races and chases in various locales, it turns out that neither Dom nor Brian has been telling the truth. Both will have to put what they care about most on the line before it's all over.

Is It Any Good?

This franchise starts with a bang, in what is one of the best executed action films of the early 2000s. Best remembered for its sleek cars, exciting races, and nonsensical plot, The Fast and the Furious should also be regarded for its inclusivity, as it has one of the most diverse ensembles in its genre.

Nothing in the film is supposed to be taken at face value, which is why the story is filled with cliches, borrowing from Western, police, and heist sub-genres, and its plots and twists can be predicted from a mile away. The point is to sit back, relax, and enjoy the wild ride.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the way outcasts create families, such as the scene in The Fast and the Furious where Dom presides over a barbecue dinner with his friends and colleagues. What does the idea of found family mean to you?

How are women portrayed in this movie? Do they feel like positive portrayals, or do they fall into stereotypes? Can both be true at the same time?

What do you think is the appeal of movies in which cars are altered to go at very fast speeds and the drivers take outrageous risks? What are some of the stunts best filed under "Don't try this at home"?

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 22, 2001
• On DVD or streaming : June 3, 2003
• Cast : Michelle Rodriguez , Paul Walker , Vin Diesel
• Director : Rob Cohen
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors, Multiracial actors
• Studio : Universal Pictures
• Genre : Thriller
• Topics : Cars and Trucks , Brothers and Sisters , Friendship
• Run time : 106 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : violence, language, and brief sexuality
• Last updated : August 24, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

Need for Speed

The Transporter

Best action movies for kids, best car movies for kids and teens, related topics.

• Cars and Trucks
• Brothers and Sisters

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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

Fast and Furious 9 gets rave first reviews

Well, mostly.

Fast & Furious 9 is revving into cinemas in a matter of weeks, and the first reviews for the Justin Lin-led instalment are already filing in. True to form, they're a little mixed, but it seems like plenty like it, and we mean really like it.

F9 – which includes a sequence in space, no less – has been billed as "the biggest, wildest, gravity-defying-iest Fast & Furious instalment yet", but the melodramatic and thrill-seeking stunts aren't all the movie has to offer.

It's not all about the cars, you see, as the movie also delivers a blast from Dom Toretto's past in the form of John Cena's new character , Dom's previously-unknown brother Jakob.

'Family' has long been a theme of the Fast franchise, something Vin Diesel is excited about F9 exploring further. "For those who have been with the franchise, [ F9 is] even more special," he teased earlier this month to Entertainment Weekly .

Related: Fast & Furious 9 : Cast, release date, trailer and everything you need to know

"Because if you can remember the first movie , you are now going to go before the first movie and understand the first movie even more."

Are family feuds and near-flying cars enough to satisfy fans for a ninth time? Check out the first reviews for Fast & Furious 9 below to find out.

Screen Daily

"Gloriously ludicrous and stridently melodramatic, F9 is fuelled by its own goofy energy, delivering comically grandiose chase sequences and shameless fan service all in the name of giving audiences an uncomplicated good time."

"For audiences who want their 2021 return to the multiplex to deliver big, loud, exciting action, F9 makes the cars go fast, jump high, and generally do the impossible. It's exhilaratingly ridiculous, yes, but it's also ridiculously exhilarating."

"[O]nce again, Justin Lin has managed to get the job done; not by slamming on the brakes, but rather by speeding things up to such a ridiculous extreme that the velocity of it all starts to hold everything in place...

" F9 continues to make the saga feel bigger while bringing it home at the same time. The world of Fast & Furious has never felt more outta control than it does here, but for the first time in a long time it feels like it's drifting in the right direction again."

"The Fast and Furious films have become Mission: Impossible films. But F9 isn't constructed around an exciting mission. It's built around Vin Diesel and John Cena playing out the angst from the Toretto brothers' past.

"The family plot 'works' (even as you're aware of how thinly written Cena's character is), but it's not enough of an anchor; it's more like an excuse."

The Hollywood Reporter

"At their best, these later, save-the-world Fast flicks allowed viewers to thrill to stunts even as they guffawed at their absurdity. But in F9 's would-be showstoppers, the thrills are mostly AWOL or the feats are simply too idiotic to embrace, even guiltily."

Erik Davis (Fandango)

"I watched #F9 today & it’s exactly what you hope it will be. It is the perfect summer blockbuster. Massive memorable action sequences w/ lots of humor, heart, family drama, super magnets and THEY FINALLY GO TO SPACE! Longtime FAST fans will adore all the nods to previous films."

Fast & Furious 9 will be released in US cinemas on June 25 and in UK cinemas on July 8.

Universal Pictures Fast & Furious 1-9 Film Collection [DVD] [2021]

Universal Pictures Fast & Furious 9 [DVD] [2021]

LEGO 42111 - Technic Fast & Furious Dom's Dodge Charger build set

Universal Pictures Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw

Universal Pictures Fast & Furious 8-Film Collection DVD (1-8 Box Set) [2017]

Fast & Furious 8 (Amazon Prime)

Universal Pictures Fast & Furious 7 [Blu-ray] [2017] [Region Free]

Universal UK Fast & Furious 6 (Limited Edition Steelbook) [Blu-ray] [2013] [Region Free]

Universal Pictures Fast & Furious 5 [DVD] [2011]

Fast & Furious

Winning Moves Fast & Furious Monopoly Board Game

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F9: The Fast Saga

Reviewed by: Alexander Malsan CONTRIBUTOR

Fatal automobile crashes

About murder

About death

Private armies

Rogue agents

Computer hacking into weapons systems

What does Scripture say about STEALING? Answer

“Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” —1 Peter 3:9

For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge. I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” —Hebrews 10:30

REVENGE, love replaces hatred —former Israeli soldier and an ex-PLO fighter prove peace is possible-but only with Jesus Christ

“No matter how fast you are, no one outruns their past.”

D om and Letty have decided to settle down and live an easier life, with their son Bryan, one that doesn’t involve fast cars, guns and blowing stuff up. But, as usual, the quiet life doesn’t stay quiet for long, when members from Dom and Letty’s old crew appear unexpectedly with an important video: Mr Nobody’s ( Kurt Russell ) gone missing. It gets worse than that though.

Whoever is behind Mr. Nobody’s disappearance also kidnapped Dom’s archnemesis, Cipher ( Charlize Theron ), as well as half of a device called Ares, that . allows the user to take control of all the different countries’ warheads and launch them whenever they feel threatened. If the enemies get their hands on the other half of Ares, it’s game over for everyone.

Dom ( Vin Diesel ) has faced difficult odds, sure, but what will happen when FAMILY is the thing he has to face?

There’s something to be said about a franchise that has lasted as long as the Fast and Furious series. The first film came out in 2001. In the past twenty years, the franchise has produced over 9 main films and one spin-off feature film (“ Hobbs and Shaw ”). For the past several weeks, I’ve asked myself the question, why is this series as popular as it is. Is it the action? The acting? The story? What keeps it going?

Perhaps, truthfully, the fans are the heart of the franchise. They are the ones that allow the films to continue to be produced. And since the fans were faithful, so was Universal. So more Fast and the Furious films continued to be made. In the beginning, the first movie was, indeed, all about racing and the cars. It wasn’t until, I think, around the 4th or 5th movie, it became more character and story driven and racing being just a part of it (but maybe that’s just MY take on it).

I say ALL of this because in “F9” we have a LOT of story and character development in, perhaps, the first half of the film and the action doesn’t really pick up much until the last quarter. When the action occurs, though, it’s intense, sure, but it’s a bit too unrealistic (such as when a guy is on a truck and his head goes through a billboard like it’s paper, and he doesn’t feel anything). At one point, even the characters joke about how they always come out of each of their adventures without a scratch on them, like their invincible.

I could forgive all that, truthfully, if the film didn’t rely on some of the same story-telling plot points and mechanics it did from the previous films: a family member is used as a villain to add tension to the overall situation (not a spoiler, I promise), Dom’s gang has to stop some bad guys from stealing a device that can destroy the world, Dom’s being called to saved the world but doesn’t want to, etc.

To be fair, the action is great and the performances are terrific. You have a stellar cast to work with, as has been the case throughout the entire franchise. Overall the pacing is stellar. At first I thought two and a half hours would be too much, but it didn’t feel overly long. Setting-wise, I loved how the film took us to different parts of the world as well. I just wish the film had had a little more originality.

Content of Concern

Violence (partial list): This is the most violence I have seen out of all the films in the franchise. Mutliple scenes involve gun fights, fist fights and car chases with explosions. Cars explode while driving over mines. Fights inside vehicles result in people being tossed out of cars. Cars plow through entire bottom floors of buildings. We watch as a truck plows through hundreds of cars. A character brings down a wall which falls on him and bad guys. A person explodes while flying in a parachute. We see a character hit by a car. A character is killed. In a post-credits scene, a bloodied man is seen inside a boxing bag that is being heavily punched and kicked.

Profanity: “G*d,” “Oh my G*d,” “God d*mn ” or “damn” (4), “G*d d*mn it,” “Swear to God,” “ holy -sh*t,” “ h*ll ” (7), and “Bloody H*ll” (Note: The British use of the word “bloody” as a swear word comes from a corruption of “By Christ’s blood,” although few people now realize this. Most choose “bloody” as an angry intensifier word because they think it less offensive than using “f***ing”.)

Vulgarity: “Sh*t” (16), “pr*ck” (2), “p*ssed,” “p*ss,” “p*ssing,” “pees his pants,” “a**” (11), and “a**hole”. The terms “fr*cking” and “freaking” are used (both euphemisms for “f*cking”).

Sexual Content/Dialog: There are two innuendo conversations about people “compensating” for something. The term “balls” is used for male genitals. A man says about a woman, “I feel creeped out and sort of turned on at the same time.” A heterosexual kiss.

Nudity: Women wear provocative clothing in two scenes with suggestive dancing.

Other: Someone says “they threw us in jail because we were brown.” Someone steals a necklace.

Alcohol: Characters are seen drinking in various scenes.

One of the strongest things about the Fast and the Furious franchise is it’s commitment to always having a common theme. Throughout the series Dom’s motto has always been, “Never turn your back on family.” Yet, through a series of circumstances in the past with his brother, that I won’t get into, he DID turn his back on him and it affected his future.

The theme of this particular film is forgiveness and the consequences of not forgiving. In Dom’s inability to forgive his brother, it affected any future relationship he might have had with him, and also stirred absolute hatred towards him.

Scripture is clear on how we are to forgive one another because it is the EXACT thing Christ did for us by paying the ultimate price on the Cross.

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” —Ephesians 4:32

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” —Colossians 3:13

“And when you stand praying , if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins .” —Mark 11: 25

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” —Matthew 6:14

Closing Thoughts

Every film franchise has its fans that, no matter what, will defend their film franchise to the grave. I say this because, truthfully, for “F9,” I feel only the die-hard fans of the franchise will likely be the ones who appreciate what this film has to offer. Then again, however, some may be wondering if the franchise is starting to lose its momentum, as the story line seems a bit recycled from previous films and the stunts are beyond ridiculous , to the point where the teenage boys in front of me said, “No way.”

Content-wise, this film is questionable. There’s plenty of vulgarity and profanity to go around, and the violence is a bit stronger than in previous installments. However, there are some strong positive messages that make their way into this movie that didn’t quite resonate as well in the previous films.

Overall, I’d say this isn’t the best choice for viewing by Christians but it isn’t the worst either. Definitely leave the little ones at home, teens and adults only. Ultimately the choice is yours.

• Violence: Very Heavy
• Profane language: Moderately Heavy
• Vulgar/Crude language: Moderately Heavy
• Sex: Moderate
• Drugs/Alcohol: Moderate
• Nudity: Mild
• Occult: None

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

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Aug 26, 2024 at 10:59 AM

Watch Fast and Furious Movies in Order: A Complete Guide

Hey there, movie buffs! Ever found yourself scratching your head, trying to figure out the fast and furious movie in order? Well, you’re not alone! We’ve all been there, feeling like we’re stuck in a high-speed chase through the Fast & Furious timeline. From street racing to international heists, this franchise has taken us on a wild ride with Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and the whole crew. Let’s buckle up and dive into the nitty-gritty of the Fast & Furious films in order. We’ll zoom through the chronological order of Fast and Furious movies, starting with “The Fast and the Furious” and racing all the way to “Fast X”. Along the way, we’ll hit some pit stops to chat about spin-offs like “Hobbs & Shaw”, and even peek under the hood of some short films in the Fast Saga. Ready to rev your engines? Let’s hit the gas and get this show on the road!

1) The Fast And The Furious (2001)

Buckle up, folks! We’re kicking off our Fast Saga journey with “The Fast and the Furious”. This adrenaline-pumping flick introduces us to the world of underground street racing. We’ve got Vin Diesel as Dom Toretto, the king of the streets, and Paul Walker as Brian O’Conner, an undercover cop trying to infiltrate Dom’s crew. It’s all about fast cars, daring heists, and the birth of a brotherhood that’ll change their lives forever. 

Streaming Platform- Amazon Prime Video, JioCinema

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2) Los Bandoleros (2009)

Now there’s “Los Bandoleros”, directed by Vin Diesel himself! These shorts give us some juicy backstory and fill in those timeline gaps.

3) Turbo Charged Prelude To 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

Now, let’s rewind a bit. Remember “Turbo-Charged Prelude”? It’s a six-minute short that bridges “The Fast and the Furious” and “2 Fast 2 Furious”. 

Streaming Platform- Youtube

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4) 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

This time, Paul Walker’s back as Brian O’Conner, going undercover in Miami to take down a drug lord. It’s a high-octane ride with gravity-defying car chases and non-stop action. We’ve got Tyrese Gibson joining the crew as Roman Pearce, Brian’s ex-con buddy. Together, they’re transporting dirty money for the shady Carter Verone while secretly working with Agent Monica Fuentes. It’s a wild ride that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat!

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5) Fast & Furious (2009)

Dom’s out for revenge after his girl Letty gets murdered. Brian’s back too, now an FBI agent. These two put their beef aside to take down drug lord Arturo Braga. It’s all about fast cars, crazy stunts, and that family vibe we love. This flick’s got Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster bringing the heat. It’s the fourth in the series, but trust me, it feels fresh and furious!

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6) Fast Five (2011)

Dom’s out of prison, and Brian’s back in action. This time, we’re hitting Rio for the ultimate heist – a $100 million from a corrupt businessman. It’s not just about street racing anymore; we’ve got brawls, gun fights, and crazy stunts! The Rock joins the crew as Agent Hobbs, chasing our gang across Brazil. It’s a game-changer, folks – less vroom-vroom, more boom-boom!

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7) Fast & Furious 6 (2013)

Agent Hobbs is offering Dom and the crew a sweet deal – full pardons if they help take down a criminal mastermind in London. But here’s the kicker: Dom’s old flame Letty, who he thought was dead, is working with the bad guys! It’s a high-stakes game with crazy stunts and heart-pounding action. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne Johnson are back, joined by newcomers Luke Evans and Gina Carano. It’s all about family, fast cars, and taking down the baddies!

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8) The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)

This flick’s all about Sean Boswell, a troublemaker who’s shipped off to Tokyo to avoid jail time. He gets caught up in the wild world of drift racing, going head-to-head with the “Drift King” Takashi. It’s a whole new style of racing that’ll blow your mind! 

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9) Furious 7 (2015)

This time, our crew’s facing their toughest challenge yet. A cold-blooded assassin’s out for revenge, and we’ve got to team up with a smooth-talking government agent to take him down. It’s a globe-trotting adventure from L.A. to Abu Dhabi, with heart-stopping action and jaw-dropping stunts. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne Johnson are back, joined by Jason Statham as the big bad. It’s all about family, fast cars, and saving the world!

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10) The Fate Of The Furious (2017)

Dom’s gone rogue, teaming up with a cyberterrorist named Cipher. Talk about a plot twist! We’ve got the whole crew back – Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and more. This flick’s got it all – high-speed chases, jaw-dropping stunts, and enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s a globe-trotting adventure that’ll blow your mind!

11) Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019)

Hobbs and Shaw are back, but this time they’re teaming up with Shaw’s sister Hattie to take down a cyber-enhanced baddie named Brixton. It’s all about saving the world from a deadly virus, with plenty of smack talk and body blows along the way. Directed by David Leitch, this flick’s got action, comedy, and some seriously cool stunts. It is a spinoff film.

12) F9 (2021)

This time, we’re diving into some serious family drama as Dom faces off against his long-lost brother, Jakob. Talk about a plot twist! Directed by Justin Lin, this flick’s got all the high-octane action we crave, plus a side of sibling rivalry. So grab some popcorn and get ready for a wild ride with the Toretto clan!

Streaming Platform- JioCinema

13) Fast X (2023)

This time, Dom Toretto’s facing his toughest challenge yet – a vengeful Dante Reyes, out for blood. Directed by Louis Leterrier, this flick’s got all our faves back, plus some new faces. It’s a globe-trotting adventure with jaw-dropping stunts and heart-pounding action. Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and the whole crew are bringing the heat!

The Fast Saga has taken us on a wild ride through the world of street racing, heists, and international espionage. From humble beginnings in Los Angeles to globe-trotting adventures, the franchise has evolved into a high-octane blockbuster series. With each instalment, the stakes have gotten higher, the stunts more outrageous, and the family bonds stronger. As we look to the future, the Fast Saga shows no signs of slowing down. With upcoming films, potential spin-offs, and a grand finale in the works, fans have plenty to look forward to. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the series, there’s never been a better time to buckle up and join the Fast family for the ride of a lifetime.

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Screen Rant

Dwayne johnson played the villain in an action movie with an impressive cast 2 years before fast five.

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How Much The Rock Was Paid For 6 Fast & Furious Movies (Including Hobbs & Shaw)

Get smart review, harrison ford's most infamous rejected role would've totally transformed a $6 billion franchise.

• Dwayne Johnson's portrayal of Luke Hobbs in Fast Five stood out as a memorable and unique villain.
• Johnson played another villain two years before Hobbs: he was Agent 23 in Get Smart, a movie that had several other notable actors.
• Johnson's character in Fast Five was still a better villain than Agent 23 because Hobbs was much more unique.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has played villains a few times in his acting career, and he played one just two years before he took on the role of Luke Hobbs in Fast Five . Dwayne Johnson usually plays heroes in his various movie roles, but he's also dabbled on the other side. Dwayne Johnson has played nine villains in his career , from the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns to the titular supervillain in Black Adam . While those movies range from fantasy horror to superhero, Johnson played one villain who was very similar to his character Luke Hobbs in Fast Five .

Johnson joined the Fast & Furious franchise in 2011's Fast Five . That film also saw the franchise transition from being primarily focused on racing to becoming more of an action and heist series, which made Johnson a perfect fit. Fast Five has since become one of Dwayne Johnson's best action movies , but it wasn't the first time he played a villain in an action film. Johnson portrayed another antagonist just two years before Fast Five , and he did so alongside an incredibly impressive cast.

Dwayne Johnson is partly to thank for the success of Fast & Furious since Fast Five, but how many millions was The Rock rewarded with for his effort?

Dwayne Johnson’s Agent 23 Was The Secret Villain In Get Smart

In 2008's action comedy Get Smart , a movie remake of the 1960s comedy series, Dwayne Johnson played Agent 23. Though he was an agent for the U.S. government agency CONTROL in the film, by the end of Get Smart , Johnson's Agent 23 was revealed to be a double agent who helped the terrorist organization KAOS plant a nuclear bomb as part of a presidential assassination attempt . Just two years later, Johnson played Luke Hobbs in Fast Five , another government agent who was tasked with hunting down Dom Toretto and his crew.

Get Smart is available to stream on Max.

Why Get Smart’s Reviews Weren’t Great (Despite The Amazing Cast)

Dwayne Johnson got to work with a fantastic cast in Get Smart , but that wasn't enough to save its reviews. Get Smart stars Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Alan Arkin, Terrence Stamp, and the Rock, and other notable comedians like Terry Crews, David Koechner, James Caan, Bill Murray, and Patrick Warburton all played smaller roles . Despite such a star-studded cast, however, Get Smart only received a critical score of 51% and an audience score of 67% on Rotten Tomatoes .

Get Smart manages to combine slapstick, wit, action, and a bit of romance in a package that will leave you smiling even after you leave the theater.

Get Smart received such a poor reception partially because of its deeply talented cast. Critics often mentioned that while Carell was hilarious as Maxwell Smart, the rest of the cast was much less funny than he was . The cast itself isn't totally to blame for that criticism, though, as Get Smart was designed to be a straight-faced parody of spy thrillers, and as such, most of the cast play typical and serious spy characters. Instead, they provided the setup for Carell to poke fun at the genre, which unfortunately wasn't enough to keep Get Smart from feeling like an ordinary early 2000's action comedy.

Dwayne Johnson Played An Even Better Villain In Fast Five

Like many of the other actors in Get Smart , Dwayne Johnson played Agent 23 in a fairly traditional way. Aside from a few visual gags - like walking into a wall while trying to impress a woman and sharing a climactic kiss with Carell's Max - Agent 23 wasn't the most compelling villain Johnson has ever played. Agent 23 was the typical strong, charismatic, and effective secret agent until his betrayal, when he essentially just worked as a stand-in bad guy. Johnson's take on Luke Hobbs in Fast Five was much better than his portrayal of Agent 23 in Get Smart .

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The fifth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast Five continues the Fast Saga in a high-octane thrill ride. When Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O'Conner's (Paul Walker) gang become international fugitives, they are hunted by Luke Hobbs, an agent of the DSS. They also fall foul of a Brazillian drug lord, deciding to perform a heigh-stakes heist in order to steal $100 million from him.

Hobbs was almost the exact opposite of Agent 23: he was rude, single-minded, and very outwardly antagonistic to the crew. In essence, Hobbs just had a lot more personality and many more memorable character traits than Agent 23 did . Agent 23 was a living trope, whereas Hobbs was a reinterpretation of the government agent archetype. Hobbs was more like an obsessive bounty hunter who was willing to fight with his hands than the typical aloof and managerial agent audiences might have expected. Dwayne Johnson and his unique take on Hobbs may have been a big reason Fast Five is the best movie in the Fast & Furious franchise .

Luke Hobbs eventually became a hero in the Fast & Furious franchise, and his character has appeared in every film besides F9 since Fast Five .

One thing that both Get Smart and Fast Five really convey that seems to have been lost through the years is just how well Dwayne Johnson can do playing a true villain. Aside from 2022's Black Adam , Johnson hasn't played a bad guy since 2013's Pain and Gain . Instead, he's opted for more heroic or morally complex characters, which is a shame given how much talent he displayed in those villainous roles. If Dwayne Johnson ever does decide to play the villain once again, he'll have his experience from both Get Smart and Fast Five to rely on.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Dwayne Johnson