Fast & Furious Most Disappointing Movie Makes This $626 Million Hit Even Better In Retrospect

Fast X, arguably Fast and Furious’ most disappointing movie, makes the franchise’s $626 million box office hit even more impressive in retrospect. What started as a small-scale crime film set in the streets of Los Angeles has since become a global blockbuster franchise where every movie is bigger than the previous one. However, Fast X’s box office and mixed-to-bad reviews indicate that the saga’s formula, which traces back to Fast Five (2011), is wearing out.

It is difficult to imagine there will ever be another Fast and Furious movie like Fast Five unless the upcoming Fast and Furious 11 is a significant improvement from its predecessor. Fast Five was the movie the Fast Saga needed after the franchise regained momentum with Fast & Furious (2009), forever changing the IP and paving the way for the films to become box office titans. Whereas Fast Five showed the potential of the Fast and Furious franchise, Fast X confirmed everything wrong with the series’ most recent films.

Fast X Tried To Replicate Fast Five’s Magic (& It Failed)

Fast X had a lot of Fast Five connections

Fast X tried to replicate the best things about Fast Five, yet it failed to do so. From opening the movie with a Fast Five flashback to returning to Rio de Janeiro, Fast X wanted audiences to remember Fast and Furious’ best movie. Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes, a character who debuted in Fast X and therefore was not in Fast Five, was retconned into being Hernan Reyes’ son. Dante’s quest for revenge tied directly into Fast Five and even led to a recreation of the movie’s iconic “This is Brazil” face-off between Toretto and Hobbs.

Fast X was also similar to Fast Five in the sense that it brought all of the franchise’s biggest characters together for one massive crossover. Still, apart from the direct connections and the callbacks, Fast X couldn’t match what Fast Five did. Despite the $340 million price tag, which made Fast X the most expensive Fast and Furious movie to date, the film had a lot of issues and was too big for its own good. Fast Five was a far better movie in terms of pacing, script, and action sequences, all of which are elements Fast X struggled with.

Fast X’s Problems Highlight How Great Fast Five Was

Fast Five accomplished something special

Fast X was supposed to be the culmination of the Fast Saga, a movie that was expected to live up to how massive the saga had become. While Fast X was indeed bigger than its predecessors in terms of scale, it was also the most flawed Fast and Furious film in years. Compared to Fast X and even other big-budget Fast and Furious movies, Fast Five did a much better job of balancing character moments, high-stakes action, and a good story. More than a decade later, Fast Five is still the benchmark for what Fast and Furious can be.

Stream Fast X on Prime Video

Fast X

Vin Diesel and the family return for the tenth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise in Fast X. Charlize Theron returns as Cipher joining forces with Dante Reyes, a former foe of the Fast Family seeking revenge for the death of his father Hernan Reyes, after the events of Fast Five. Fast X is part one of a two-part conclusion to the franchise.

Director

Louis Leterrier

Release Date

May 19, 2023

Cast

Vin Diesel , Michelle Rodriguez , Jason Statham , Jordana Brewster , Tyrese Gibson , Ludacris , Nathalie Emmanuel , Charlize Theron

Runtime

141 Minutes

Budget

$340 Million

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