“The Fate of the Furious” is big, loud, stupid fun, and thrilling. Yeah, the movie is the glossy dinosaur. Yet “The Fate of the Furious” is sublimely about family. Charlize Theron is awesome. She plays the beautiful blonde dreadlocked Cipher, the most compelling and charismatic villain of this franchise. Unexpectedly in “Furious 8” Dom played by Vin Diesel apparently turns rogue on his team, on his family. Theron’s Cipher holds the dramatic source of his betrayal.
In the telling scene Cipher and Dom explosively attack the base of the secret Federal Agency and his friends to obtain the omniscient surveillance program “God’s Eye” as part of Cipher’s grand scheme. Shockingly, Cipher kisses Dom and turns with a knowing glance. Dom’s wife Letty, played by Michelle Rodriguez, says “Dom, are you going to turn your back on family?” Cipher leverages a secret over Dom. He tells her that he did what was necessary. She tells him, “Nothing is necessary. Everything is choice…”
In stark contrast with this tragic exchange, “Furious 8” climaxes in the Siberian tundra where Luke Hobbs, played by Dwayne Johnson, diverts a speeding submarine missile over the ice with his sinuous arm. This is just stupid fun– in a good way. The distinct charm of “The Fate of the Furious” is that it is big and loud, yet its heart is about family. This is the corny dichotomy that works.
Theron’s legendary villainous cyber hacker Cipher is much like her Evil Queen from “Snow White and the Huntsman”—powerful and soulless. Here she is threatening without raising her voice. “Furious 8” has its gratifying heroes in Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, and Jason Statham, who is now the good guy. Ultimately, Chris Morgan’s story works as Director F. Gary Gray expertly balances the silly, along with the stunning action, and plot twists.
As the movie opens Dom and Letty are on their honeymoon in Havana, Cuba. Dom defends his cousin’s honor in an insane car race, racing a car he literally supped up in minutes. Of course, Dom wins the race before the car explodes over the ocean. Cipher dismantles Dom’s bliss. She exploits Dom’s secret coercing him to go rogue. They are now dueling partners. Cipher is the genius nuclear weapons nihilist with global destruction on her mind.
Meanwhile back in D.C., Hobbs coaches his daughter’s soccer team. If they lose the consequences could be dire—TayTay concerts will be in Hobbs’s future. A secret operative gives Hobbs the mission to retrieve an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) device which renders all electronics inactive. Hobbs calls on a favor with Dom and assembles his team for the mission. Tragically, Dom betrays his “family” nearly killing Hobbs, and steals the EMP for Cipher. The hero now becomes the villain? Consequently, Hobbs goes to prison, because of his mission failure. He finds his arch nemesis Deckard Shaw, played by smart and badass Jason Statham, in the same prison. In one of the amazing narrative curves, Shaw becomes the good guy.
This sets the stage for Director Gray’s physics-defying action and astounding visuals. More entertaining are the relationship between Dom and Cipher, and the colorful bromance of Hobbs and Shaw. The story gets wacky at times, and there are distractions from minor screen characters. Diesel, Theron, Johnson, and Statham bring their A- games. So even amidst mounting movie disbelief, they make it worth watching. Their polarizing personas resonate with the theme of family.
Director Gray provides wildly entertaining action sequences. Through bizarre Internet access Cipher commands cars crashing and plummeting out of parking structures in New York City. Statham as Shaw executes martial arts grace and power as he kills assassins on board Cipher’s stealth jet. At the highlight: Cipher says, “You’re out of bullets.” Shaw says “I don’t need them for you ” “The Fate of the Furious” is non-stop action, humor, and never takes itself seriously.
With all the mind-blowing action, I really appreciated the conflict between Cipher and Dom. Theron’s Cipher is quiet ruthlessness. In one scene Cipher does the unspeakable act to remind Dom of his promise to her. Dom points his gun at her, and says “I got no choice!” Diesel satisfyingly displays more of his vulnerability and humanity in “The Fate of the Furious” than in the other movies. He and Theron have amazing chemistry throughout. This is the movie’s strength.
The inconsequential characters often detract from the movie; mostly they are there for continuity. Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris suffer in their roles. Too bad the movie wastes the talents of Michelle Rodriguez. Her Letty could have been a more compelling presence. Even Helen Mirren has a decent cameo.
Family is the powerful narrative that binds “The Fate of the Furious”. The story concludes with the touching homage to the late Paul Walker. The movie reminds that family and love are what really counts in life. “The Fate of the Furious” is entertaining fun and gets it right.
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