Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Fast X 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 18, 2023

At this point it's tempting to plop the "wash-rinse-repeat" label on the Fast franchise, and for some viewers that might be the most apt label for not only the larger picture but also for this film in particular. Now on its tenth installment and with seemingly no end in sight, the franchise has evolved from a terrific story of family, street racing, and criminal enterprises around the Los Angeles area into a complex and convoluted tale spanning the globe, replete with action that stretches far beyond car racing and starring a veritable who's-who of Hollywood A-list talent. While the story's tentacles reach far, they all converge back into that simple story of family that defined the original, albeit here, by now, on a much larger scale and within a significantly larger prism. Fast X is in some ways indistinguishable from most of the more recent entries in terms of visual structure, the character roster, and the scale and style of the action. For newcomers it will be a fun ride of high intensity action and drama, for casual viewers it will probably fall into that realm of the wash-rinse-repeat familiar, and for hardcore franchise fans it offers a significant forward movement for the universe and the characters who inhabit it. Still, though, it doesn't go above and beyond to stand apart from the rest, choosing instead to stand tall as a beacon of what the franchise has become while reinforcing the foundation for what is assuredly to come.

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.

Repetitive though they may be at their core, the filmmakers and stars of the Fast franchise continue to present new ways of performing old tricks. In Fast X, the stunt work continues to dazzle and delight, the cars are pulled in different directions, and the gunplay and fisticuffs manage to maintain a semblance of freshness, too. The film is always in a state of kinetic activity, forward motion, relentless pacing, and absolute intensity. Fast X, like the best in the franchise (including the film most closely connected to it, Fast Five), balances the high-octane action with excellent narrative elements and character beats, managing to maintain the status quo of what the franchise is all about while pushing forward storylines. In some of the previous films this was a balance that fell short of need, but not here; everything works together for the better of the film and the franchise as a whole, resulting in a film that is at once both very familiar and in many ways very fresh as well.

One of the reasons why this franchise keeps the forward momentum going is because the cast is all-in on the franchise. Certainly, that these films make them obscene amounts of money doesn't hurt, but there's an obvious love for the material, a clear passion for the on- and off-screen family that has been built and continues to evolve, and a legitimate sense of pride in the work and a desire to do things not only bigger, but also better, in every film. Yet the star of Fast X is newcomer Jason Momoa who portrays the villainous Dante Reyes with an aplomb and gusto that channels The Joker: the best of Nicholson, Ledger, and Phoenix rolled into one. The character is not quite so purely psychotic but the influences are in plain evidence, and Momoa, best known for his hero work and roles, turns heel here and plays the villain with a depth and delight that alone makes the film worth watching. His work is balanced by the stability and nuanced growth of the film's heroes and the broader storyline that promises even more great things to come in the inevitable future installments.

Fast X 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

This 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD presentation of Fast X delivers a healthy image that is more of a nuanced improvement over the companion and concurrently released Blu-ray and less a radical overhaul. The UHD fine-tunes the experience, squeezing out improved textural clarity and exacting sharpness, capturing essential and intimate details alike with a fine-point excellence not quite achieved on the Blu-ray. Where the 1080p limitations prevent more definition, the 2160p resolution allows for a greater sense of accuracy and image fulfillment, bringing out the finest in sharpness and clarity to every element, including obvious examples like faces and clothes but also generalized environments and objects, adding up to a high yield experience in every frame. The Dolby Vision color grading additionally offers added depth and tonal nuance. Brights are more vivid, blacks are deeper, whites are more impressively true and balanced, and skin tones are more satisfyingly lifelike. The image is a bit darker overall, notable especially in low light, but the finessed grading amplifies tones across the full spectrum to grade to a more accurate and nuanced color grading experience. Like the Blu-ray, there are no source or encode failures to report. This may not be a UHD image that bests the Blu-ray by leaps and bounds, but it does offer the best presentation available for the film at this time.

Fast X 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Fast X speeds onto the UHD with an incredibly powerful and potent Dolby Atmos soundtrack. The presentation is never lacking in any area. High yield bass? Check. Extreme surround engagement? Check. Powerful gunfire? Check. Potent engine revs? Check. Surround bonanza? Absolutely. The track offers everything fans would expect of a blend of Dolby Atmos and an A-list blockbuster that was made to sound spectacular. This is one of those tracks that essentially defies the need for review except to say yup. Listeners will never feel shortchanged, never notice a gap in coverage, or wish for more energy, clarity, or spacing. Everything here is just as it should be, which also includes musical richness and spacing and perfect environmental fill. Of course, dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and centered for the duration of the film. But the highlight is all of the fun stuff that plays in perfect balance and with exceptional clarity and with monstrous bass at every opportunity. This is Atmos at its 2023 best.

Fast X 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This UHD release of Fast X contains a number of extras, headlined by quite a few featurettes. A Blu-ray copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• Gag Reel (2160p, 4:56): Humorous moments from the shoot.
• This is Family (2160p, 35:13): A look back through the 22-year-old franchise and how it has all pushed towards this film. More generally this piece looks at Fast X in detail: following up on Fast Five, story and themes, characters, action, and so on.
• Fast Breaks: Scene Breakdowns with Louis Leterrier (2160p, 7:46): The film's director explores how several key scenes were made.
• Xtreme Rides of Fast X (2160p, 12:54): A close look at the high octane, high dollar, and high fun cars seen throughout the film.
• Belles of the Brawl (2160p, 7:14): As the title suggests, this extra focuses on the female fights seen in the film.
• Tuned into Rio (2160p, 5:06): A look at the flashy, and fiery, car race seen in the film. It also explores the added dynamics that have been inserted into this film's race sequence.
• Jason Momoa: Conquering Rome (2160p, 3:02): An all-too-quick look at Momoa's work as the film's villain and performing many of his own stunts.
• Little B Takes the Wheel (2160p, 3:05): A look at the father-son relationship seen in the film and exploring various scenes involving Little B and his work with John Cena.
• A Friend in the End (2160p, 1:29): Peeking at the surprise reveal at the end of the film.
• Music Videos (2160p): Included are "Toretto" (3:16) by J Balvin and "Angel Pt. 1" (3:05) by Kodak Black & NLE Choppa (Featuring Jimin of BTS, JKVE & Muni Long).
• Audio Commentary: Director Louis Leterrier guides viewers through the film.

Fast X 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Fast X has all the earmarks of a superfluous sequel, especially this deep into its franchise, but the film manages to do just enough to hold a feeling of freshness thanks to more innovative car stunts, good character moments, legitimate narrative progression, and Jason Momoa's showstopping performance. The franchise is somehow not yet running on fumes, but it's going to take a legitimate effort in the 11th film to keep things going at this level. Universal's UHD delivers practically perfect video and audio and also offers a healthy allotment of quality bonus content. Recommended.