Review: Fast & Furious 8, If it ain't broke, add more cars and explosions regardless

One day, we'll look back and ask why, 'Why is the Fast and Furious franchise as successful as it is?' I'll tell you why. Because it doesn't pretend to be anything else other than a mad adrenaline fuelled thrill ride with more testosterone than even Dwayne Johnson can shake a stick at. That being said, Fast and Furious 8 is just that and I couldn't have been more satisfied. With the tragic loss of Paul Walker, the films have lost a part of the spirit of what it was built on, but that means there is now room for a new direction which is what this film does quite well.

We open on Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) living a happy life in Cuba, but still driving fast cars in the most furious way possible. After a crazy race involving Dom effectively turning his car into bomb and driving it whilst on fire, he is met by a mysterious lady only known by as Cipher (Charlize Theron) and is persuaded to betray his code. This code being protecting family at all cost. This leads to a chase all over the world involving the crew: Tej (Ludacris), Roman (Tyrese Gibbs), Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel) with the aid of Mr Nobody's (Kurt Russell) organisation to discover Cipher's true intentions as well as bring Dom back to the family. Moving from massive action set piece to the next, the crew fight to stop Cipher's plans to ignite a nuclear war by driving their cars really fast, blowing up other cars that are driving really fast and have fist fights with the most massive men Eastern Europe has to offer.

It may seem like a basic premise that shouldn't be that exciting but it does have to be seen to be believed. It goes without saying that this is a ridiculous film with the most unrealistic scenes put to screen in this series which outshines previous mad scenes such as the runway the length of Europe in Fast and Furious 6 and dragging a giant safe full of cash with only two cars whilst also destroying downtown Rio in Fast 5. Most notably, witnessing Cipher's hacking ability in the New York act of the film is rather jaw dropping as she turns almost every car into her puppets, recreating the look of the zombie hoards in World War Z but with cars. Oh, and let's not forget how The Rock is one more movie away in this franchise from becoming a terminator. I won't say much, but a live torpedo is manhandled by him, whilst holding onto a moving car and skidding on ice, into an enemy vehicle. With two more films confirmed for the series, I can only imagine for faster and more furious they can get than this...

Keeping this a spoiler free review, I won't say what turns Dom against his family but it is presented very well by being very believable in why a man would seem to turn away from what he held most dear. We get to see a side of Dom rarely displayed in the films as he is a man who shows little signs of emotion but is not mistaken for having no emotions. For Dom this is not about a job, this is about his family, making all of what he does in this film personal.

There isn't much else to say about this film as you go in to see some explosions, fast cars racing one another, adrenaline fuelled fist fights and crazy stunts with our heroes surviving the impossible. Therefore, I can recommend the new entry in the Fast and Furious franchise as it continues to further the successful formula of the series and I will wait with anticipation to see what they bring to the big screen next. Whenever I need to escape from this reality of ours, I know I can find salvation in this film.

7.4/10