The Fast and the Furious franchise needed a new direction, of sorts. After all, It is seven films in and one of its leads has sadly passed on (Paul Walker) and as the studio behind the series announced that this eighth film will be the beginning of a “final” trilogy. You bet it is time to stand this blockbuster juggernaut on its head.
That is exactly what happened with The Fate of the Furious, out now on DVD, Blu-Ray and digital formats.
Vin Diesel’s Dom has been all about family from the get-go. So, making him a villain and turning his back on said clan would be a huge explosion of shock and awe in the Furious world. That is done in a manner that is believable, actually — all with Charlize Theron’s puppet-master Cipher working the strings above Dom’s head in a manner that makes this chapter a bit more sinister and serious than the others. And that is not such a bad thing.
Our action begins in Cuba, which is so profound in that Fate was one of the first films allowed to shoot in that country after the embargo was lifted. Dom and Letty are on a much deserved vacation when Cipher appears and suddenly our hero is a different man. The crew swings into action to stop (and bring back) their brother. But, they’re off at the behest again of Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) because the government might have something to say about the nefarious goings-on of Cipher and our founding family patriarch.
There are notable car sequences that have truly upped the ante, as this series must do to at least break even on the anticipation scale. Let’s just say neither the streets of New York or auto-driving cars will ever be looked at the same again from the action scenes on the streets of Manhattan. The other notable sequence has to be the one that made many of the posters and trailers… the submarine chase and a frozen lake. Yup — our gang cross the globe yet again — this time to Russia, all in search of their old friend who appears to be on the wrong side of things for the first time.
As we stated in our theatrical The Fate of the Furious review, it is getting to be a crowded house — but one that finds each new addition a welcomed surprise. First of all, Theron sinks her teeth into the villain role effortlessly and seems to actually take personal delight in extolling the evil she unleashes. Playing the turned Dom is a nice change of pace for Diesel. But the greatest assets of this series currently are Hobbs and Jason Statham’s Deckard.
Watching the villain from the last film and a hero from the last several join forces is a true cinematic joy. They still verbally barb with the best of them, but this time it takes on a whole new level of awesomeness. When do we get a spin-off with just these two? Also, you’ll never guess who plays Statham’s mother! Kurt Russell continues to rock his roles of late and Scott Eastwood also proves to be a terrific addition.
The greatest addition to the series is the director, F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton). His mastery of the action drama, while still holding true to the emotional elements that makes a Fast and Furious movie a Fast and Furious movie, is masterful. There has always been something truly fantastical about these films. Gray brings his unique stamp to The Fate of the Furious, but does so in a manner that is congruent with all those that came prior.
Bonus features worth your time abound. The first deals with Mr. Gray. Before diving into your home video of this flick, note that you must see the Director’s Cut of the film. It elevates an already fantastically fun film.
The hour of never-before-seen bonus features keep the RPM’s high. First, race out of the gate to check out In the Family. As fans of the movies know, family is to die for. That permeating feeling is put to the ultimate test and this featurette laser focuses that aspect and breaks down specifically how this divide raises the stakes and threatens all that we hold dear.
The Cuban Spirit is a terrific look at the first major studio film to go to Cuba and shoot footage in decades. The spirit of the island nation comes through and it was clearly just one aspect of the awesomeness that the cast and crew took away from this magical landscape.
One does not get into a Furious film without an adoration for the wheeled-characters. If you ever wanted to know more about that aspect, you will love Car Culture. Go inside each of the automotive speed demons used in the film and gain an appreciation for what each brings to the movie’s table.
Speaking of action, All About the Stunts is the definitive look at the choreographing and executing of the death-defying action sequences that permeate The Fate of the Furious. How’d they do that? Answers abound right here!
The Extended Fight Scenes are also a joy, because just behind the car chases are the fight sequences in terms of what audiences want out of a Furious film. Watching elongated version of the plane fight and the prison fight is never a bad thing.
Finally, the commentary track is an eventual must-see because hearing Gray discussing his film while watching it is something to behold.
Film Grade: B
Bonus Features: B