F9: The Fast Saga

F9 bills itself as The Fast Saga, but my showtime was The Slow Saga. It took about 20 minutes to get from the ads to the trailers (there's a difference). Then, quite a bit in, the picture cut out and it took a few minutes to get it back. This film already clocks in at 145 minutes. A few less, or no, delays could've been nice.

But I got a free ticket for next time...

Anyway, the latest part of The Fast Saga sees Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his crew called back into service when Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) disappears in Central America. His plane was shot down there while transporting supervillain Cipher (Charlize Theron) and half of a MacGuffin called Ares. Dom refuses to get involved until he looks a bit further...

It turns out Dom's brother Jakob (John Cena) is with the bad guys. Jakob killed their brotherly love by sabotaging their dad's race car. Jakob now plans to assemble Ares for his benefactor, a spoiled rich man named Otto (Thue Ersted Rasmussen). Our heroes split up internationally to get some help. In Tokyo, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and Mia (Jordana Brewster) find Han Lue (Sung Kang), who was seemingly killed off in Fast & Furious 6 (and Tokyo Drift). Han and his ward, Elle (Anna Sawai), prove very relevant for the villains' plan.

Of course, the film indulges in wild car chases and stunts. I mean, the climax has two of our heroes going into space in a rocket car. But that's mundane compared to the giant magnet they procure from the villains. Cars, tables, phones and more are thrown around town whenever it's used. It's stylized mayhem at its best. 

A story still exists amidst the carnage. The crew's family dynamic is still entertaining. Dom and Jakob's rivalry has a few surprising twists, especially Jakob's reason for the sabotage. But sometimes, the film speeds along too quickly into action. Mia and Letty finding Han's apartment and meeting Elle immediately segues into an ambush by the bad guys. Talk about whiplash. Its themes of mortality amongst its mainstays is undermined by Han's sudden reappearance. Expect the best when the film sets up the worst for its cast. A lot. It must be a running gag. 

Now for a few cast highlights. The best scene is Helen Mirren's cameo as Magdalene Shaw. She makes off with a few jewels and slips away from the cops. An impressive car chase ensues when they notice. Rasmussen as Otto is an OK supervillain, though Theron as Cipher is an even better one. Otto's mute brute henchman is a memorable sight even if his name is not. Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Ludacris) get the best laughs of the crew. And of course, Vin as Dom is the strong lead driver here.

Universal has promised The Fast Saga will end in two more movies. It's probably a good thing. Its piling-up continuity and retcons strains the story. It's full of mayhem worthy of the big screen but its length is too much. Its family dynamic is still strong here, though. There's much to like and much to nitpick. See it for yourselves to see what I mean. All this and more in F9: The Fast Saga.