So this was the last movie they made before __ died.

I watched it with a new eye this time around, and... well, I didn't actually get a very different impression. It's still a great movie. It still has plenty of awesome cars. Plenty of action. Plenty of chases. Plenty of dialog between the many entertaining characters that Toretto's crew is composed of. After the fifth segment of the series (that is what it's becoming - it's not just a movie any longer - which is the one thing about it that irritates me), this seems like a natural successor. And I'm happy to see that girl from Haywire, Gina Carano, play a minor role. I didn't notice her last time I watched it! Maybe I hadn't seen Haywire yet. Have you seen Haywire yet? No? Go watch it!

The plot is basic, but it does twist. IMDB puts it like this:

Dominic Toretto and his crew of street racers plan a massive heist to buy their freedom while in the sights of a powerful Brazilian drug lord and a dangerous federal agent.

Script's clever, actors all do a good job, and it ends in a good way, with some minor/major setbacks depending on how you look at it. Also, be sure to watch the after-credits part for the optional spoiler, just like you could with the last two.

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle

January, 2023

New Universal logo in this one? A lot of new. Wiz is on the audio in the intro too! And he did the outro audio on the next one... so this is where his role started.

I love the intro. It's a flashback that seems almost like a TV show recap, but it does remind you of where you are, and where the characters have been, and what they've all been through already. What Fast and Furious is all about. It feels like a good way to start this.

And then there's Gina Carano! Was about to ask what happened to her being the assistant but... oh!

Script-wise this just might be the best one. Plot-wise? Stunt-wise? Feels like it's got everything, and they got the house back too. It feels like a fresh start for real. The cars are great, the fights are great... everything. Why did I remember not liking this one?

It has a bad-ass outro too, with a guy on the first verse that almost sounds like Roman himself?

They did speed up the fights a bit noticeably though... if anything that feels like the big flaw.

But the rest is impressive - and you gotta love the love for Letty. They turn some parts into real soapy romance and I ain't even mad. It's masterful. Dom handles it well, and the villain... he's a good one in this one. Legit.

A lot of things leveled up with this one, and not in a bad way.

 rated 4.5/5: almost awesome