The 10th installment in the ridiculously popular Fast & Furious saga is finally upon us. Fans last caught up with Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto and the crew in 2021’s F9, and in Fast X — the first movie of a two-part finale (or possibly a trilogy, per Diesel) — the family will be confronted with their past. Jason Momoa joins the franchise as the son of Hernan Reyes from Fast Five, and he’s seeking revenge against Dom’s family for their role in his father’s death. With just a week until the blockbuster hits theaters, some have had the opportunity to attend an early screening, and they’re hitting social media with their first reactions.
In addition to Jason Momoa’s “flamboyant bad boy” Dante, others joining the Fast & Furious universe include Brie Larson, Alan Ritchson, Daniela Melchior and Rita Moreno. The Fast X cast also returns a lot of our favorites from the past two decades, including Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Jordana Brewster, Cardi B, Charlize Theron, John Cena, Jason Statham, Helen Mirren and more. So let’s see what people are saying about the epic 10th film, starting with CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg, who praises Momoa’s “gleeful psychopath,” tweeting:
Fast X gets the Fast & Furious series back on track, and reason #1 is Jason Momoa, who plays Dante like F&F's version of The Joker. He's a gleeful psychopath, and it's delightful. Along with a story that avoids what made Fate Of The Furious and F9 feel stale, it's a win. #FastX pic.twitter.com/fgZy6gjYTRMay 12, 2023
KIrsten Acuna of Insider is one of several people saying this feels like the franchise’s Infinity War, with Dante as Thanos. In her tweet thread, she says she ranks it about in the middle of the Fast & Furious movies and definitely has some quibbles, but overall can’t wait to see it again. Acuna’s full breakdown:
Caught #FastX last week! It’s a wild, non-stop action thrill ride that delivers the most shocking ending of the franchise, so far. Not perfect (end may divide fans), but it’s been growing on me & I can’t wait to see it again. Universal's def trying to make this its Infinity War. pic.twitter.com/0EWbLNezOiMay 12, 2023
Liam Crowley of Comicbook.com calls the film “utterly ridiculous,” but surely he means it in the very best way. Be sure to make it to the theater to see this one on the big screen, Crowley tweets:
#FastX is utterly ridiculous (I loved every second). Action sequences and one-liners left my face hurting from smiling so much. Momoa is hilarious. Ensemble rocks. Cinema? Please. Peak summer blockbuster? Hell yes. Built for a popcorn-filled big screen experience. @ComicBook pic.twitter.com/5XWLT4daQOMay 12, 2023
Jason Momoa is the subject of many of the first reactions, including that of ScreenRant’s Joseph Deckelmeier, who says the actor oozes charisma as Dante:
#FastX is an entertaining thrill ride. It’s a visual spectacle with some truly incredible stunts and some wildly outrageous moments you’d expect from the Fast franchise, but what Jason Momoa brings to the film as Dante is magic! His performance oozes charisma. pic.twitter.com/UjOlR77aEFMay 12, 2023
Even Germain Lussier of Gizmodo, who calls Fast X the “worst Fast yet,” concedes that the Aquaman star is “God-Level” in his franchise introduction. His performance alone is worth the price of admission, Lussier says:
#FastX is the worst Fast yet. Yes, including [insert your least fave here]. The action is fun but it's the 1st film to not up the ante from the last one & the trademark notion of "Family" is an afterthought. But! Jason Momoa is God-Level in it and worth the price of admission. pic.twitter.com/zYdDFwSg0TMay 12, 2023
In addition to Jason Momoa, who film critic Simon Thompson calls “decadent,” Alan Ritchson is another standout. Despite the large cast, somehow Fast X doesn’t feel like it’s got too many cooks in the kitchen. Thompson continues:
#FastX belongs to Jason Momoa and his decadent bad guy, Dante Reyes. Fierce and flamboyant, his perilous peacocking adds a sharp edge and some refreshing dark humor. The rest is ludicrousness with clunky elements but it is stupidly entertaining. What the Fast were you expecting? pic.twitter.com/9Xeuj2In7zMay 12, 2023
The impending release of Fast X has also brought about news regarding Dwayne Johnson’s future with the Fast & Furious franchise, after he was absent from F9. I’ll avoid saying anything more here, but fans who are invested in what’s going on with Luke Hobbs can click that link.
Overall, it sounds like audiences are in for another wild ride — and we’ve come to expect nothing less from these movies — and Jason Momoa sounds like a thrilling addition to an already stacked cast. If you need to relive any of the previous installments ahead of Fast X’s release to theaters on Friday, May 19, check out how to watch the first nine Fast and Furious movies. Also be sure to see what else is hitting the big screen soon with our 2023 movie release schedule.
