Fast X (Collector’s Edition) [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Louis Leterrier

Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Momoa

Release Date: August 8, 2023

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Film Rating: 7.5/10
Disc Rating: 9/10

Synopsis:

Ever since their saga started on the streets of L.A.’s underground racing scene, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have overcome impossible odds to outsmart, out-nerve and outdrive every foe. Yet when the team took down a nefarious kingpin back in Brazil, they had no idea his son Dante (Jason Momoa) was watching from the shadows. More lethal than any other enemy they’ve faced, Dante now rises as a terrifying new nemesis who’s fueled by revenge and determined to shatter their family and destroy everything and everyone that Dom loves. From London and Brazil to Antarctica and Rome, new alliances are forged and old enemies resurface. But everything changes after Dom discovers his eight-year-old son is Dante’s ultimate target.

Please Note: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

‘Fast X’ rejoins Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and his family as they are forced to tackle their most dangerous threat yet; Dante (Momoa) the son of the kingpin they took down ten years prior in Rio who has spent every moment since perfecting his plan for vengeance against Dom and those he holds most dear. As Dante begins to unleash one attack after another against the family, Dom and his crew soon begin to discover that Dante has things far more in control than they expected and before long they end up as the most wanted people in the world after being framed for a horrible explosion and miles of destruction in Rome. Unfortunately, Dante has only begun to make his moves and it soon becomes clear that he doesn’t want Dom dead; he wants to destroy everything he cares about and if the family can’t find a means to slow him down this dangerous new enemy just might accomplish his goal.

Directed this time around by Louis Leterrier (Now You See Me, The Transporter) from a screenplay by Dan Mazeau (Wrath of the Titans) & Justin Lin (F9: The Fast Saga), from a story by Dan Mazeau & Justin Lin and Zach Dean, Leterrier does a nice job at the helm of ‘Fast X’ guiding along the high-octane fun with style and heart, while taking things back to a more grounded approach (or at least what constitutes grounded for this ever over the top series). The new film’s cast features numerous new and returning individuals including Vin Diesel (Pitch Black), Michelle Rodriguez (Resident Evil), Tyrese Gibson (Transformers), Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges (RocknRolla), John Cena (TV’s Peacemaker), Nathalie Emmanuel (TV’s Game of Thrones), Jordana Brewster (The Faculty), Sung Kang (TV’s Power), Scott Eastwood (Wrath of Man), Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), Alan Ritchson (TV’s Reacher), Helen Mirren (TV’s 1923), Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), Rita Moreno (80 For Brady), Jason Statham (The Meg), Jason Momoa (Aquaman) and Charlize Theron (Bombshell) who each offer capable and fitting performances in their respective roles overall.

‘Fast X’ kicks off the beginning of the end for the beloved ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise and delivers another action-packed, incredibly fast paced and wildly entertaining ride in the long-running series that begins to set the course for the conclusion of the franchise in fittingly ridiculous and explosive fashion. Introducing a new villain in Jason Momoa’s Dante who connects the film with ‘Fast Five’ and Momoa delivers a villainous performance that’s likely the most over the top character the franchise has introduced, something that works in many ways but also becomes a bit goofy due to just how far he takes things. Bringing back numerous fan-favorites from previous installments and taking the threat to new levels, while also serving up a few rewarding surprises and twists along the way that should have longtime fans quite excited.

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of ‘Fast X’ (albeit an expected one) is that it doesn’t serve as a complete film so don’t expect this one to end with any closure, but instead some massive cliffhangers and loose ends to keep everyone excited for the next part of this multi-part final film in the series. It may not quite reach the level of greatness that a few installments have such as Five, but it gets things back on a more fitting track that at least keeps the cars out of space and other massively unbelievable elements, and instead tries to go back to its only semi-impossible nature this time around in order to deliver a thoroughly exciting and thrilling new chapter that fans of the series definitely won’t want to miss out on.

Overall, ‘Fast X’ is another massively enjoyable and fast-paced ride with Dom and his family as they take on the most dangerous threat they’ve ever faced. Loaded with one exciting action sequence after another, with a new villain that’s as over the top and goofy as some of the films themselves, it serves up more of what fans of this franchise have come to love and kicks off what is certain to be a wild conclusion to the saga. ‘Fast X’ is definitely recommended for fans of the ‘Fast and Furious’ franchise that haven’t yet had a chance to check out the latest installment. It’s another explosive, touching and over the top ride that quickly takes off at full speed and nary taps the brakes throughout until its brutal conclusion (or what constitutes one for this first installment in a multi-part final film). If you tend to enjoy these films but didn’t catch this one in theaters, it should easily be worth your time and the price of a rental to check out this consistently enjoyable new entry.

VIDEO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Fast X’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with Dolby Vision and HDR-10, presented in its original 2.39:1 Cinemascope Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks magnificent as a whole and provides a sharp, smooth and beautifully detailed presentation from start to finish that never suffers from any unexpected troubles arising throughout. It shows noticeable improvement over the Blu-ray disc in almost every aspect within including character faces and sweat dripping to facial stubble, along with car and landscape specifics which look consistently impressive along the way. It holds up effortlessly even during the numerous fast paced and darkly lit sequences and keeps every element within look sharp and pristine. The Dolby Vision addition also contributes a great color palette that provides some rich, sharp and more accurate colors in everything from clothing, nature elements and of course the cars, all nicely boosted by deep, clean black levels that don’t disappoint. Overall, this is a wonderful Ultra High Definition video presentation that holds up splendidly and should easily thrill the fans as well as first time viewers.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack is a real treat itself and delivers a wildly aggressive, crisp, clean and just plain enjoyable audio presentation throughout that fully immerses you within the explosive fun. It constantly utilizes all seven available channels in order to send vehicles, bullets, explosions and debris, along with a great deal more constantly whipping throughout the various speakers at every fitting opportunity, while never allowing any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring simultaneously to become distorted or negatively affected in the process. Overall, this is a marvelous Dolby Atmos (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that delivers on all fronts and repeatedly contributes some additional fun and excitement to the viewing experience.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘Fast X’ includes a nice offering of bonus content that fans should enjoy. Included on the release is an ‘Audio Commentary with Director Louis Leterrier’, in addition to a ‘Gag Reel’ (running approximately 5 minutes in length) and various Behind the Scenes Featurettes that explore different aspects of bringing the new installment to life and including behind the scenes footage, plus interviews/comments with the cast and crew and more. The included Featurettes are ‘This is Family’ (running approximately 35 minutes), ‘Fast Breaks: Scene Breakdowns with Louis Leterrier’ (approximately 8 minutes), ‘Xtreme Rides of Fast X’ (13 minutes), ‘Belles of the Brawl’ (7 minutes), ‘Tuned Into Rio’ (5 minutes), ‘Jason Momoa: Conquering Rome’ (3 minutes), ‘Little B Takes the Wheel’ (3 minutes) and ‘A Friend in the End’ (1 minute). ‘2 Music Videos’ are also included; ‘“Toretto” by J. Balvin’ (3 minutes) and ‘“Angel Pt. 1” by Kodak Black and NLE Choppa, featuring Jimin of BTS, JVKE and Muni Long’ (3 minutes).

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray disc included in the 4K UHD Combo Pack and resized. They do not represent the quality of the 4K Ultra HD disc itself and will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on the 4K UHD & Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

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Film Rating: 7.5/10
Disc Rating: 9/10

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‘Fast X’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

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