Fast X

Starting off with a bit of nostalgia, this high-octane adventure sees just how "Dom" (Vin Diesel) et al become the targets of "Dante" (Jason Momoa). The most improbable of robberies from a police station followed by an even less plausible chase through the streets of Rio dragging a ten ton safe behind their cars! Now I was thinking, this is going to be rubbish. Well, it isn't actually. Though it is pretty repetitive and the story is rather episodic in delivery, it's still got just enough of a story to underpin the collection of lively set-piece car chases that trash just about every city in the world - especially Rome. The camp but deadly Momoa looks like he is having an whale of a time with his role and though the "family" sentiment of the whole thing starts to grate after a while, the production is high standard, the pace is relentless and the visual effects are put to good use for most of it. The rest of the cast deliver adequately enough - I could have been doing with a bit more from "Cipher" (Charlize Theron) and a lot less from the double act of "Tej" (Ludacris) and "Roman" (Tyrese Gibson) that got on my nerves a bit after a while. From a plot perspective, it's an introductory offer - they are setting the scene for the next one (or two) that will doubtlessly be a spectacular denouement, tinged with tragedy, that probably only leaves Nepal as a country untouched by their wrecking! It's harmless fun. It won't challenge you one little bit, the acting and writing are largely forgettable and it will slot into the library of the rest of this franchise easily enough. If you don't know what you are going to get from the series by now, then you ought not to bother.