Shot in exotic locations like Cuba, Moscow and New York, the eighth instalment of the Fast and Furious renamed the Fate of the Furious is definitely an exciting blockbuster to be viewed more than just once.
The movie which begins with a drag race in Cuba, where Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) emerges winner in other to save his mechanic cousin is more than enough thriller in the opening scene to sustain interest for regular on-screen action movie lover.
The movie, which has grossed over a billion dollars in other territories for a worldwide total of $1.231 billion, against a production budget of $250 million ($350 million, including marketing costs) is Universal Pictures’ most ambitious worldwide distribution release in the studio’s history.
Packed with action in every scene, the Fate of the Furious is action-gripping as it is expected to make any audience jolt in their seats with new stunts, replacing the main action of cars jumping out of planes in Fast Seven.
Based on two major plots of both family and betrayal, the movie gets a much bigger twist when Dominic Toretto is recruited by Charlize Theron (Cipher) to turn his back on his most loved asset, his family and save his unknown son conceived out of unknown circumstances.
This is when the movie moves from the usual car heists to spy capers, fist fights, heavy rapid gunfire cum explosion of submarines.
The duo team up of rival enemies to becoming friends (Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson) orchestrated perfectly by Mr Nobody and his little protégé wasn’t more of a shocker than it would already be with Vin Diesel’s new team-up with movie villain and widely respected hacker, Charlize Theron.
Even though Game of Thrones is expected to premiere mid-July, the captivating appearance of Nathalie Emmanuel returning as computer whiz Ramsey, and her “Game of Thrones” co-star, Kristofer Hivju (Rhodes) joining the cast as Cipher’s enforcer, served as a welcome surprise.
The Movie which is without Paul Walker or a replacement of his character by his brother came with its own share of obvious disappointments too.
The Fast 8 is filled with only fast paced action and watery dialogue without any worthy conversation attached to the hype.
Not to mention the linear plot attached to the movie. It isn’t episodic; it is just plain and strategic from one action to the next: Cipher recruits Dom, Dom turns on his family and family takes him back. Not much intriguing action for an average movie lover.
Most principal characters’ roles only revolve majorly in creating action buildups rather than actually passing a perfectly orchestrated thematic message. Fast 8 refuses to live up to its billion dollar revenue Return on Investment by creating little or no suspense as we already know what is going to happen in the end.
Fast and Furious 8 is no different from a casual family betrayal plot and reunion come back; the only difference, in this case, was lacing the action with the advancement of technology (God’s eye) and nuclear nukes, one technique that has now become an overused cliché in movies emanating from the United States.
Present day American movies aren’t without the villain attempting to steal nukes these days. And that is exactly where the Fate of the Furious fell short of its billion dollar gross. Hence, making each action very predictable.
Like every tragicomedy would end; the Fate of the Furious which initially hung in the balance closes with a reunion after the death of Elena Neves, who looked even more beautiful as she was gunned down to death by Cipher’s right hand man, Rhodes.
