Fast X review: Unraveling the illogical journey of the Fast sagaFast and Furious 10 explores the convoluted timeline of the series, attempting to rationalize the unusual choices made in previous films.
by The Conversation
01-06-2023 15:22
in Entertainment
Vin Diesel and Daniela Melchior in Fast X. Image: The Conversation.
There's a scene in the latest Fast & Furious film, Fast X, where Aimes (Alan Ritchson) - the government agent tasked with apprehending Dom (Vin Diesel) and his crew - gives a rundown of the heroes' backstory:
--
Let's start back at the beginning Los Angeles, 2001 Humble roots, local kids Street racers who became hijackers Graduated to high-speed smuggling, mobile jailbreaks, train robberies If it could be done in a car, they did it If it violates the laws of God and gravity, they did it twice.
On one level, the scene is a recap reel. Monitors inside Aimes' hi-tech HQ play clips from the Fast family's biggest stunts. These clips are designed to initiate casual viewers into the Furious-verse, helping them to make sense of what's to come.
ALSO READ: Fast and furious: Man clocks 199km/h speeding on the N1
The trailer for Fast X. On another level, it's a knowing wink to ride or die fans. The scene addresses audiences who've followed the franchise throughout its 22-year history, a period in which Fast & Furious has undergone so many transformations that the latest entries can feel unrecognisable from the first film.
--
Fast X When Aimes talks about humble roots in Fast X, therefore, he's also referring to the franchise as a whole. It began with 2001's The Fast and the Furious, a mid-budget crime film about street racing which featured a cast of relative unknowns.
In the ten sequels that followed before this latest edition, the franchise grew exponentially, rebranding as the Fast Saga and evolving to become a series of star-studded global adventures in the Mission: Impossible mould.
This evolution brought greater commercial risks and rewards. The Fast Saga is one of the top-ten highest grossing film franchises of all time, and Fast X cost an estimated US$340 million (£275 million) to produce.
--
Han fights Shaw in a clip from Fast X. By now, the franchise's unlikely trajectory is so well known that recent films have incorporated meta commentary on their own ridiculousness. This is best illustrated in F9's (2021) running gag where Roman (Tyrese Gibson) wonders whether the heroes may be invincible.
ALSO READ: Fast and Furious 10': Vin Diesel welcomes Brie Larson to the crew
Fast X is the latest pitstop on this journey. It's a logical extension of the Fast Saga's illogical, gravity-defying melodrama, where every set-piece and plot twist furthers the extravagant myth of Dom and his family.
Retcons and resurrections The latest film (the first of two volumes that will draw the Fast Saga to a close) continues the tradition of bringing back fan favourites. This is something the Fast films do with an alarming disregard for narrative coherence. In this sense, Fast X feels like an attempt to rationalise the messy timeline that emerged out of the unusual choices of earlier films.
That timeline began in Fast & Furious (2009) - the confusingly titled fourth film - where the opening sequence revealed the surprise return of Han (Sung Kang), a character who died in the previous instalment, Tokyo Drift (2006).
Han returns in F9. Han appeared again in Fast Five (2011) and Fast & Furious 6 (2013). A mid-credits scene in the sixth film seemed to confirm Han's exit by replaying his death and revealing that it was at the hands of new villain, Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham).
The decision to retcon Han's demise and then fold it into the events of Furious 7 (2015) established a strange chronology where the fourth, fifth and sixth films take place (in story terms) before Tokyo Drift.
ALSO READ: Will Smith put on hold: Bad Boys 4', Fast and Loose' and biopic
The screenwriters have acknowledged this disregard for linear time, joking: Look, the timeline is you know it's one-two-four-five-six-three-seven, right?
Since then, Han has been resurrected once more in F9, where it's revealed that his death in Tokyo was an elaborate hoax. In Fast X, he finally reunites with Shaw, giving Han a chance to get revenge against the man who appeared to kill him four films ago.
An outlaw franchise Fast and Furious With the number of once-dead characters that populate the Fast Saga, viewers could be forgiven for thinking that many of its major plot points are introduced on a whim, dreamed up by co-producer Vin Diesel during interviews. But there's method in the madness, a consistent inconsistency which has allowed the saga to carve out its own niche.
The seemingly chaotic nature of the Fast Saga's development is central to its appeal. Reflecting on its unlikely trajectory, critics often observe that the franchise has an off-the-cuff feel. This distinguishes it from more meticulously planned franchises, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where every sequel and spin-off is mapped out years in advance to try to maximise the brand.
Star and co-producer Vin Diesel and director Louis Leterrier. Courtesy of Universal Pictures This long-term planning can sometimes be a weakness, leaving such franchises less able to adapt to fan responses. In contrast, the Fast Saga has often shown a fleet-footedness in its engagement with audience demands.
Previous Fast and Furious film After all, Han was only included in the fourth film after test screenings for Tokyo Drift showed he was a hit with fans, while his resurrection in F9 was a direct response to the #Justice4Han campaign that emerged on social media.
ALSO READ: Jason Momoa has been cast in Fast and Furious 10'
With its elabo
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
How Chris Bolte Builds the Sound of PlayStation Games Chris Bolte '16 is a technical sound designer at Sucker Punch Productions, where he helps create the...
19/03/2026
Other Voices presents a legendary night of music as Foo Fighters bring their stadium anthems to St James' Church, An Daingean. The surprise performance teas...
19/03/2026
***Issued by RT on behalf of RTS Ireland Awards / Gradaim RTS 2026...
19/03/2026
It's a double feature on GFN Thursday. This week, GeForce NOW offers smoother sights in virtual reality (VR) and a sprawling new land to conquer.
Streaming...
18/03/2026
Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4.
Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...
18/03/2026
SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...
18/03/2026
The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...
18/03/2026
(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...
18/03/2026
Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville
Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...
18/03/2026
Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded
Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...
18/03/2026
Mix-reference plug-in overhauled
iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...
18/03/2026
Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives
Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...
18/03/2026
Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture
18 March, 2026
Media releases
New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...
18/03/2026
Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...
18/03/2026
London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...
18/03/2026
SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...
18/03/2026
Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...
18/03/2026
Brainstorm transforms productivity and sustainability with Suite 7 at NAB Show 2...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today unveiled its educational presentations for the 2026 NAB Show. This year SMPTE will ...
18/03/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, gaming, and more, today ann...
18/03/2026
Digital Alert Systems
Preview
2026 NAB Show
April 19 - 22
Booth C3452
At the 2026 NAB Show, Digital Alert Systems will showcase Version 6.0 of its DASDEC ...
18/03/2026
Setplex today announced that it will showcase its complete, fully integrated Zapflex platform for the first time at the 2026 NAB Show, introducing powerful new ...
18/03/2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE ...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking DP for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Director of Photography for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy Feature Film- I...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Location, Sound for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Location/Sound for Low Budget Dramed...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Film - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
Calrec Redefines Broadcast Workflows at NAB 2026 with its Most Powerful Hardware...
18/03/2026
Oscar Nominated Two People Exchanging Saliva Posted with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio handle...
18/03/2026
Boston Conservatory Presents Celebrated Musical Satire Urinetown Performances for this Center Stage production will take place at Boston Conservatory Theater ...
18/03/2026
Charlie Puth Joins Switched on Pop at Berklee NYC The Berklee alum spoke with host and Berklee NYC professor Charlie Harding for a live taping, answering audi...
18/03/2026
X-Rite Pantone Demonstrates Advanced Color Management Solutions to Support Smart...
Fast X review: Unraveling the illogical journey of the Fast sagaFast and Furious 10 explores the convoluted timeline of the series, attempting to rationalize the unusual choices made in previous films.
