After multiple delays, Fast & Furious 9 is already confirmed for its theatrical release in June 2021, but early reactions to the film have arrived. Two decades have passed since the original The Fast and the Furious film kicked off The Fast Saga and now, the car-centric franchise is entering its final trilogy with a brand new adventure. Starting off with a movie that primarily deals with the culture of street racing, Fast & Furious has outgrown its roots and become a full action-adventure series with a rag-tag team of interesting characters.
F9 will also mark director Justin Lin's return to the franchise after several years. The ninth installment in the main saga, and 10th overall, re-assembles Dom's gang for a brand new mission. This time, "la familia" goes up against Jakob — his and Mia's estranged brother who's seeking revenge for his falling out with his older brother. The isolated Toretto sibling is backed by Cipher, the cyber-terrorist villain from Fate of the Furious, which makes him more dangerous. Another interesting plotline is the surprising re-emergence of Han Lue, who was assumed dead after his Deckard Shaw-planned car crash in Tokyo.
After a two-year push back from its original April 2019 release date, F9 is finally due to hit theaters and some insiders were given the opportunity to watch it before its wide release. Here are some of the initial reactions from the movie's initial screenings:
From the looks of it, F9 mostly delivers on various fronts of its storytelling although there are some who have issues about how ridiculously over-the-top it has become. Critics are praising its action set pieces, which the franchise has become known for over the last several years. That's to be expected considering that trailers tease several innovative ways to up the blockbuster's car stunts. But what's more important is sticking the landing when it comes to the blockbuster's grounded story which mainly revolved around the conflict between the Toretto brothers; as it turns out, Jakob may have been cleverly incorporated into the story and not just shoe-horned to create new drama. As reflected in its marketing, F9 seems to also harken back at its roots as it echoes vibes from The Fast Saga's previous movies.
Another big plot point in the film revolves around the return of Han. Lin promised that as he helms Fast & Furious 9, he'll also finally deliver justice for what happened to the character. There's no clear consensus whether or not this was achieved in the movie, but The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift gang may play a significant role in the narrative. Overall, despite a few issues, the latest installment of The Fast Saga may seem to be poised to kick off this year's summer blockbuster season after a very difficult last several months.
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