The Fate of the Furious (Fast & Furious 8)
Director: F. Gary Gray
Talent: Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez
Released: 14th April
The long-running The Fast and the Furious franchise began life as a semi-decent Point Break knockoff, but 2011’s superb Fast Five marked a change in direction, abandoning the series’ street racing roots and focusing instead on increasingly ridiculous car-based heist action. Now comes the eighth instalment: without a doubt the daftest one yet, and every bit as entertaining as you would expect.
This time around, a ruthless cyberterrorist played with appropriate iciness by Charlize Theron blackmails Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto into going rogue, putting him on a collision course with his old crew. The plot, of course, is merely an excuse for vehicular mayhem, and if you’ve ever wanted to see a nuclear submarine chase a Lamborghini, then this is the movie for you. As usual, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson pretty much steals the show, though Jason Statham gives him a run for his money as reformed baddie Deckard Shaw, and, incredibly, there’s still nary a hint of franchise fatigue. Loud, dumb, and a hell of a lot of fun.
Words – Felipe Deakin
