The F9 Deleted Scene That Should Have Been In The Movie
"The Fast and Furious" saga continues to be one of the most enduring modern film franchises. What started off in 2001 as a simple street racing story slowly morphed into an action franchise that boasts just as many thrills and chaotic set pieces as the latest Marvel and DC films. The latest entry in the franchise, "F9," took the story to new heights and considerably expanded the mythos of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his ever-evolving "family." Released in 2021 after a series of delays, the ninth entry in Universal Pictures' billion-dollar machine received mixed reviews from critics but was thoroughly enjoyed by fans — it has an 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
"F9" notably provided further insight into the Torreto clan, featuring a variety of flashbacks that detailed the rift between brothers Dominic and Jakob (John Cena), who just appeared out of nowhere. This was the first time in the franchise that we saw younger, recast versions of the "Fast and Furious" family. This narrative device allowed director Justin Lin to expand the backstories of the main characters and afford him the opportunity to bring in newer characters like Jakob, who are now integral to the "family."
With the flashbacks fleshing out the "Fast and Furious" world, it's a disappointment that one of the most important and emotionally-heavy character moments was cut from the film's final release.
An emotional scene with the young crew should have stayed in F9
"F9" goes back and forth in time throughout the film, showing us the rift between a young Dominic (Vinnie Bennet) and Jakob (Finn Cole). One key scene that wasn't in the theatrical cut is a flashback between Dom and the rest of the original crew before Dom drives his little brother, who he assumes is responsible for the death of their father, out of town.
The brief scene starts with Dom surprising his crew at a street racing event, where he reveals he was let out of jail early for good behavior. He reunites with his girlfriend, Letty (Azia Dinea Hale), and emotionally embraces his younger sister Mia (Siena Agudong). He also has a reunion with crew members Vince (Karson Kern) and Jesse (Igby Rigney), the latter of whom hasn't made an appearance since the first "Fast and Furious." After the leader heartfully meets his crew, he immediately goes to intimidate and antagonizes his younger brother, showing how Dom has evolved since his time in prison.
Though the scene is less than a minute, it reminds us just how important loyalty is to Dom, who has more or less been at the center of the franchise since it first started. The theatrical cut never featured Dom interacting with the rest of the OG crew, which was a missed opportunity to reiterate how much he loves his chosen family, and further illustrate the complicated relationship with his real brother.