The Fate of the Furious

A fate which seems to turn the old team into International Men of Mystery as director F. Gary Gray is hell-bent and determined to make this franchise into a Marvel comic book with globetrotting James Bond location shooting. Blackmailed by Cipher (a terrorist played by a dreadlocked Charlize Theron), Dom (Vin Diesel) goes rogue, putting “the family” of street-racers he united at risk when he is forced to steal a communication device carrying nuclear codes as well as a suitcase detonator to carry out some vague world threat. During a fiery backwards race through Cuban streets, Dom resembles Marvel’s Ghost Rider, then when prying open a limo armed with rotary saws, he’s Marvel’s Gladiator before having his own vehicle harpooned by cables a la Spidey webbing. What’s usually the focus of this franchise seems to be as an afterthought in this spy heist flick where two new members are introduced played by Nathalie Emmanuel and Scott Eastwood (Clint’s kid) as Kurt Russell’s assistant “Little Nobody.” But the most impressive action sequence involves reformed bad guy Jason Statham in a shootout while holding a baby! Not as gutsy or high energy as the previous one, but not too bad either.

[PG-13]