Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Fate of the Furious 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 11, 2017

It doesn't matter what's under the hood. The only thing that matters is who's behind the wheel.

And therein lies what has made the Fast and the Furious films so immensely popular. That's why when Dominic Toretto races a jalopy at the beginning of the movie the sequence works so well. It's his knowledge of and passion for cars, not to mention his guile that gets the vehicle into makeshift racing shape, that are the true keys to winning a race, not a bunch of high-ticket fancy parts and a slick paint job. That's always been true of the films, though it's a truism that's evolved over time and why a seemingly innocent movie from 2001 about an undercover cop and some fast cars evolved into one of the all-time highest grossing and most popular movie franchises of all time. It's the people, not the cars. It's the drivers, not the speed. It's the fate of the characters, as this film's title suggests, not the ferocity of high-octane energy that keeps the movies rocking. Even as the effects get bigger, the stunts more dangerous, and the stakes ever larger, the films zero in ever more closely to that core asset of family, which is put to the ultimate test -- and the ultimate danger -- in this eighth film that may not be the franchise's best, but that encapsulates everything the franchise stands for.

Vacationing, meeting with family, and racing cars in Cuba is just another day for Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez). But his vacation is cut short, and much of what he holds dear is put in jeopardy, when he's blackmailed into joining forces with Cipher (Charlize Theron), a nefarious hacker who forces Dom to steal an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) device and a foreign powers' nuclear football. With Dom rogue and the fate of the world hanging in the balance, DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) assembles a team, which includes Letty, Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson), Tej Parker (Ludacris), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), to prevent disaster and stop the suddenly and inexplicably rogue Dominic at all costs and by any mans necessary, which will, of course, involve no shortage of fast and pricey cars.

The Fate of the Furious, much like the past several films in the series, maintains that unique identity that sees it maintain its position as a more serious, character-driven story while endearing itself to audiences with both over-the-top action and light underlying humor. Perhaps more than any other Action film or franchise, F&F has mastered the "popcorn" movie formula. And while Fate doesn't reinvent it, it does add to it. The filmmakers continue to expand the scope and increase the hazards, this time dealing in everything from massive remotely-controlled mayhem and pile-ups on city streets (which includes cars skydiving out of multistory parking garages) to a nuclear submarine tucked away in one of the world's iciest and most remote locations. There's nowhere that's off-limits for a few fast cars, armored vehicles, and willing drivers. The story is fine, again as much a simple framework for the action as anything else, but the filmmakers have injected it with enough character development, advancement, drama, and doubt to keep audiences invested. Fate sees them further evolve, some of them, anyway, while others just maintain the status quo. But it holds onto that critical core of family, friendship, and togetherness, straining it at its strongest point amidst crashing and exploding cars, high speed pursuits, and a few more tricks that the franchise always seems able to pull out of its sleeve.

Still, the movie doesn't take any substantial risks. For as dramatically dark as it can occasionally be, that imaginary safety blanket that tells audiences "everything will be OK" remains firmly wrapped around the viewer. Risks are more in the moment, less, if not entirely nonexistent, in the larger franchise framework. The movie works very well as an entry and offers some terrific moments both in terms of action and characterization, but it's never pushing any boundaries in either direction. Indeed, comfort overrides all else, and behind every car crash, flip, swerve, and every time that needle and those engines are pushed to the brink, the audience always knows it'll work out in the end, some how, some way. That's the fatal flaw of most every movie these days, but the series, and Fate in particular, captures and carries enough forward momentum to mask its core shortcomings and engage the audience in the moment, adding in a few occasions of character-enhancing detail and only easing up on the accelerator long enough to build the rapport between the family on the screen and the family that's grown to care about them out in the audience.

The Fate of the Furious 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Note: The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date. Also note that we are currently not able to review Dolby Vision. We are studying equipment options and will be upgrading in the near future.

The Fate of the Furious was reportedly mastered at 2K despite being photographed at resolutions ranging from lower, higher, and right at 4K. The 2160p UHD presentation, which is also HDR-enhanced, offers an image not entirely dissimilar from the standard Blu-ray. Upon initial playback and watching in relatively quick succession to the Blu-ray, it's obvious that the movie enjoys tighter details and a firmer, but a little less showy, color palette. Flesh tones are noticeably darker, effectively altering complexions from a more neutral shade on the Blu-ray to more tanned and sun-baked on the UHD, though never do they push red or any unwanted or unnatural shading. Settling into an A-B comparison reveals that, indeed, bright colors on clothes and cars are more reserved, but perhaps a bit deeper and more inherently nuanced. That could be said to be a detriment to the image, because the Blu-ray, and the movie, thrive on the barrage of flashy, punchy, vivid colors. There's certainly no shortage of vibrancy on the UHD, but for sheer tonal brilliance the Blu-ray wins out. As for details, the uptick -- that's an important word, because this is by no means a revelation -- is noticeable, but not a game changer. Faces and clothes are a little firmer. Pores and stubble find a bit more textural accuracy and visibility, where various close-ups on Blu-ray are almost smeary in comparison. But overall image clarity and stabilization are not significantly enhanced, and with the darker palette lower-light scenes can often appear to lose detail, even on darker surfaces like a black car, for instance. The UHD is fine, but for this reviewer's money, the color presentation and greater pop, paired with detail that's a tick down on the Blu-ray, seems more critical to one's enjoyment of the movie than the combination of slightly increased clarity but a less dynamic color scheme.

The Fate of the Furious 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Fate of the Furious' UHD features a DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack. It's rock-solid, aggressive and full-bodied, only occasionally coming up a bit short not in terms of clarity or spacing but in raw aggression. For the most part, though, it's a wonderful listen. Music has no qualms about engaging the back channels with plenty of the workload, though the core elements do remain up front, pushed as far as the stage's width allows. Clarity is terrific through every note, including bass-happy and instrumentally diverse moments, such as during a prison brawl 34 minutes into the film. Car engine revs are ridiculously strong. Throaty, growly, and intense, each one rattles the seat, in a good way, offering a tangible, high quality reproduction of how it must feel to sit in the seat of one of the high-powered racers. Cars zip, jet engines scream, alarms blare, explosions burst, and gunfire erupts all with remarkable precision and full stage saturation. There are times -- a scene when cars fall from the sky around the 70-minute mark, for example -- when the track seems held back ever so slightly, lacking the sort of clear, definitive overhead presence one would expect from such a scene and definitely coming up a bit short when it comes to low end response and sheer aggression of crashing and crunching metal on metal and concrete. Otherwise, the track is superb, rounded into form by terrific dialogue reproduction and prioritization, even under the most chaotic conditions.

The Fate of the Furious 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Fate of the Furious contains several extras on the included Blu-ray disc. A UV/iTunes digital copy code is included with purchase. The digital version does include an extended cut of the film, which, sadly, is exclusive to digital.

• The Cuban Spirit (1080p, 8:04): This supplement explores the time the cast and crew spent in the island nation. This was the first major studio film ever to shoot there.
• In the Family (1080p): A four-part feature that explores the film's characters.
  
  
  • Betraying the Family: Cipher and Dom (6:35): This piece explores Cipher and how she manipulates Dominic throughout the film. It explores plot points and performances more in-depth.
  • Leaderless: A Family Lost (5:00): A discussion of the film's central plot element and how each of the characters react and respond.
  • Shaw Family Values (3:56): Exploring Jason Statham's character in the film and the franchise.
  • Meet the Nobodys (5:45): A quick look at some of the black suit government agents who play central to the film.
• Car Culture (1080p): Three sub-supplements -- The Hero Cars of 'Fast' (10:24), Zombie Cars (5:35), and The Ripsaw (5:22) -- dedicated to exploring the vehicles found in the film.
• All About the Stunts (1080p): As the title suggests, this multi-part supplement explores some of the key stunt work in the film. Included are Malecon Street Race (6:15), Iceland Stunt Diaries (6:45), and The Streets of New York (5:27).
• Extended Fight Scenes (1080p): Longer versions of two scenes: Prison Fight (3:01) and Plane Fight (2:00).
• Audio Commentary: Director F. Gary Gray goes in-depth to cover the film, hitting all the highlights as well as some unique insights behind the film. This supplements also available on the UHD disc.

The Fate of the Furious 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Fate of the Furious finds itself more comfortable than innovative. The film is still very good and highly entertaining, offering everything one could possibly want at this point in time from the franchise beyond any serious plot or character turns that aren't quite so transparent as what this film has on offer. Still, it satisfies in all areas: cars, speed, action, and building on, albeit more slightly than emphatically, the core characters. One could easily see the word "stale" slapped onto the next film if it's not careful in what it has to show and say, but with Fate the franchise proves, once again, its viability, even if it's less innovative and more "as expected." Universal's UHD is fine, offering very good upscaled 4K video, though the HDR color scheme isn't as impressive as the Blu-ray's more showy presentation. The DTS:X Master Audio soundtrack is wonderful and supplements are very good. Nevertheless, the Blu-ray may be the better option.