True to the Fast and Furious way, the eighth installment is a restless bundle of energy. It rarely allows itself to slow down, safe for glimpses into Dom’s and Luke’s (Dwayne Johnson) life on their break. The film is clearly an ambitious endeavor, but thanks to clever stunts, special effects and a talented ensemble, it pays off in exciting ways.

The iconic chase and race scenes that fill the film from top to bottom never get stale. They’re engaging and over-the-top in all the ways Fast and Furious fans have come to expect. Half of them are completely impossible, but is that not the fun of it?

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The same can be said about the other action scenes. It’s a little cheesy if you look too far into it, but Dwayne Johnson picking people up and throwing them into other people somehow never gets old, no matter how many times it occurs. True to its PG-13 rating, there’s plenty of violence and implied death, but rarely any blood.

The film’s cast, as always, is a treat. There is no weak link among them, even if some characters are more interesting than others. Michelle Rodriguez as Letty still stands out and balances the character’s vulnerability with her staunch toughness with impressive ease. Cipher, played by Charlize Theron and the franchise’s first female antagonist, is perfectly evil. Theron makes it difficult not to root for someone so smart. Iconic actress Helen Mirren pops in with just a little part, but she makes every second count.

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On the other hand, some parts feel a little forced. Eric Reisner, played by Scott Eastwood, as the rookie cop who wants no more than to play by the rules, has been done before, and Eastwood does little to make it interesting. Same goes for the love triangle between Roman (Tyrese Gibson), Tej (Chris Bridges) and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), an unnecessary rehashing of a worn-out trope that gets too little screen time to do anything much with, for better or for worse.

Still, for those less familiar with the franchise, the eighth installment naturally contains plenty of references to the previous movies, but they rarely take away from the action. If you’ve been hesitant, jump in. F8 will make you want to go back and watch the rest of the franchise.

For fans worried that the franchise was about to peter out, The Fate of the Furious proves that there is still fuel left in the series. (sul/kes)

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