Early Fast X Reactions Praise Jason Momoa And The Non-Stop (Albeit Ridiculous) Action
Do you remember when the "Fast & Furious" franchise was just a slightly over-the-top series about street racing and organized crime? That seems like forever ago now, right? Now here we are, 10 movies in, and we've seen characters travel to outer space and drive fancy cars out of airplanes and through skyscrapers. Elsewhere, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) once caught a flying car with his bare hands, and Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) only needed his muscular arms to redirect a massive heat-seeking missile. The action has become ridiculous — and that's what keeps audiences coming back for more.
Of course, this legacy of uninhibited ridiculousness means that "Fast X" has some almighty expectations to live up to. The good news, though, is that the franchise hasn't run out of gas in the action department just yet. Early reports indicate that the latest sequel is non-stop carnage, with Twitter user @nathan flynn writing, "FAST X is a fun time at the movies delivering all the high-octane action global spectacle, and grumbled Vin Diesel monologues about family you come to expect from this franchise."
That said, bonkers action is meaningless unless there's a central conflict between Dom's ragtag group of heroes and a formidable villain. Jason Momoa's Dante has been tasked with bringing the inferno in "Fast X," and early reactions have heaped praise on the actor's performance.
Jason Momoa shines as the evil Dante in Fast X
Jason Momoa is excited about his villainous role in "Fast X." The actor believes that he got stuck playing goody-two-shoes characters for far too long, so he relished the opportunity to portray a compelling bad guy in a high-profile project. That passion shows on the screen too, and fans have congregated on social media to show their appreciation for Dante's wickedness.
"Jason Momoa is the exact amount of unhinged needed in the latest chapter of this live-action Saturday morning cartoon soap opera," @mattrorabeck tweeted. "I live, laugh, love the melodrama." Furthermore, some fans believe that Momoa is the highlight of the entire movie. "Jason Momoa steals the show over and over again," @ScottDMenzel wrote. "Fast X is the best ride you'll take this year," @bykitstone added. "Jason Momoa's peacockish villainy steals the show."
Don't expect Dante to be a sympathetic villain, either. Several Twitter users, including @eeisenberg, have compared the character to the Joker due to his unhinged personality. "He's a gleeful psychopath, and it's delightful."
Fast X delivers nonsensical action (and that's a good thing)
The "Fast & Furious" franchise isn't for everyone. Some people can't look past the unrealistic action setpieces, so "Fast X" probably won't be met with universal acclaim. Film critic @EmansReviews found some scenes too over-the-top to comprehend, writing, "#FastX is on cruise control with ridiculous stunts and logic-defying action." However, the reviewer did at least reserve some praise for Momoa's villainous performance, noting that the actor "was the saving grace as an entertaining villain."
On the flip side, some viewers had a blast with the gung-ho action sequences. Twitter user @KevoCuervo believes that "Fast X" is the best franchise installment since "Furious 7," simply due to the absurdity of the action scenes and the performances of Momoa and Brie Larson. Additionally, the reviewer took a moment to praise the filmmakers, stating that "[David] Letterier maximizes the stakes with solid direction."
Elsewhere, some viewers appreciated the self-aware nature of the film and praised it for not taking itself too seriously. "Fast X was so strange. At least they're fully embracing the camp and being funny," @artomatik wrote. The social media user also described the action as insane and "nonsensical," meaning that it's everything people expect from a "Fast & Furious" yarn at this point.