{"id":1882,"date":"2023-05-20T03:35:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-20T10:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/?p=1882"},"modified":"2023-05-22T15:36:10","modified_gmt":"2023-05-22T22:36:10","slug":"fast-x-an-unabashed-next-step-in-this-series-mission-to-depict-escalating-vehicular-mania","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/2023\/fast-x-an-unabashed-next-step-in-this-series-mission-to-depict-escalating-vehicular-mania\/","title":{"rendered":"Fast X * An Unabashed Next Step In This Series\u2019 Mission To Depict Escalating Vehicular Mania"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.poster-190x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1883\" width=\"95\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.poster-190x300.jpg 190w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.poster.jpg 253w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 95px) 100vw, 95px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto and his family have outsmarted and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they must confront the most lethal opponent they&#8217;ve ever faced. Fueled by revenge, a terrifying threat emerges from the shadows of the past to shatter Dom&#8217;s world and destroy everything &#8212; and everyone &#8212; he loves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Benjamin P. comments, \u201c<em>Fast X<\/em> is an unabashed next step in this series\u2019 mission to depict escalating vehicular mania. It\u2019s certainly enjoyable and even thrilling at points, but it does lack some novelty. As <em>Fast X<\/em> speeds the <em>Fast and Furious<\/em> franchise into its final lap, it can\u2019t help but feel like we\u2019re going in circles.\u201d See his full review below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast X<br>By Benjamin P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"FAST X | Final Trailer\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/eoOaKN4qCKw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/fastx.b-300x206.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1887\" width=\"225\" height=\"155\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/fastx.b-300x206.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/fastx.b-768x528.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/fastx.b.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(l-r) Dom (Vin Diesel) and Isabel (Daniela Melchior) in Fast X, directed by Louis Leterrier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><em>Fast X<\/em> is an unabashed next step in this series\u2019 mission to depict escalating vehicular mania. It\u2019s certainly enjoyable and even thrilling at points, but it does lack some novelty. As <em>Fast X<\/em> speeds the <em>Fast and Furious<\/em> franchise into its final lap, it can\u2019t help but feel like we\u2019re going in circles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Fast X<\/em> follows Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) as they raise their son away from their enemies and the battles that have taken up much of their time for decades. Dominic\u2019s friends and soldiers of the wheel\u2014Roman (Tyrese Gibso), Tej (Ludacris), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) \u2014all go on a mission to Rome, Italy, for an underground government organization. However, the mission isn\u2019t real and both the agency and Dom\u2019s pals are duped by an old foe that emerges from the shadows to exact revenge on Dom and his family. This villain, Dante (Jason Momoa), threatens to break Dom\u2019s family into pieces, so the family must figure out how to save themselves from Dante and new government agents who have Dom in their crosshairs.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.a-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1888\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.a-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.a.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(l -clockwise) Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Han (Sung Kang), Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Dom (Vin Diesel), Little Brian (Leo Abelo Perry), Abuelita (Rita Moreno), Mia (Jordana Brewster), Tej (Chris \u2018Ludacris\u2019 Bridges, Roman (Tyrese Gibson, Fast X, directed by Louis Leterrier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>These <em>Fast and Furious<\/em> characters used to steal TVs off of moving trucks\u2014now they save the Vatican. These movies succeed most when they know what they are and what you want. It\u2019s a rollercoaster, so at a certain point you just throw your hands up and enjoy the ride. Dominic Toretto is basically inhuman by now; nothing can kill him and he can bend the laws of reality and science to his will. Action is the primary draw of these films\u2014story has become secondary as the saga of Dom and his band of street racers turned superheroes cruises into its 11<sup>th<\/sup> entry. <em>Fast X<\/em>, however, goes all in on plot, which feels like a miscalculation. Especially as the second half refuses to reach any kind of conclusion, barreling towards a silly cliffhanger that does little to maintain the stakes the first half establishes. None of the racers we\u2019ve come to know and love are safe, but the way <em>Fast X <\/em>wraps up, it\u2019s hard not to feel like all of them are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jason Momoa is unbelievable in this movie as Dante. He\u2019s easily the best villain Dom and the crew have ever fought against. This level of gleeful, over-the-top evil is hard to find in any movie, but it\u2019s a gift in the heightened world of <em>Fast and Furious<\/em>. He gets all the movie\u2019s best laughs\u2014you almost wish he would crush Dominic\u2019s world so we could watch him laugh, twirl, and dance as it all goes up in flames. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.e-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1884\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.e-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.e-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Fastx.e.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Jason Momoa as Dante in Fast X, directed by Louis Leterrier.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>John Cena\u2019s a lot of fun, too. He takes a page from Momoa\u2019s playbook, an action hero who loses the self-seriousness and has a good time playing uncle to Dom\u2019s young son. Tyrese Gibson is ever a delight as Roman. Gibson always has a lot fun with this role, and he understands exactly what energy he must bring to keep the franchise full of life. Practically every time he comes on screen, the audience erupts into laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I give <em>Fast X<\/em> 3 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, for some language, frequent intense action and some graphic violence<em>. &nbsp;Fast X<\/em> zooms into theaters on May 19, 2023. Vroom vroom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto and his family have outsmarted and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they must confront the most lethal opponent they&#8217;ve ever faced. Fueled by revenge, a terrifying threat emerges from the shadows of the past to shatter Dom&#8217;s world and destroy everything &#8212; and everyone &#8212; he loves.<\/p>\n<p>KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Benjamin P. comments, \u201cFast X is an unabashed next step in this series\u2019 mission to depict escalating vehicular mania. It\u2019s certainly enjoyable and even thrilling at points, but it does lack some novelty.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[1866,1868,995,1870,1869,1867,1873,1863,1862,1860,1872,1875,1865,1874,1864,1871,1861],"class_list":["post-1882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-film-critics-blog","tag-alan-ritchson","tag-brie-larson","tag-charlize-theron","tag-chris-ludacris-bridges","tag-daniela-melchior","tag-jason-momoa","tag-jason-statham","tag-john-cena","tag-jordana-brewster","tag-michelle-rodriguez","tag-nathalie-emmanuel","tag-rita-moreno","tag-scott-eastwood","tag-sung-kang","tag-tyrese-gibson","tag-vin-diesel","tag-with-helen-mirren"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1882"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1890,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1882\/revisions\/1890"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1882"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1882"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kidsfirst.org\/juror\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1882"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}