Fast X star Ludacris offers a thoughtful defense of the franchise's major theme. Started in 2001 with The Fast and the Furious, a Point Break rip-off about illegal street racers stealing DVD players, the film series has morphed into a globe-trotting action franchise filled with elaborate heists and high-speed chases. But beneath all the bombastic action, the Fast & Furious franchise is famously about family, hammered home by its figurehead Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), who values his family above all else. However, some feel the theme of family is overemphasized and make fun of the franchise for it.
In a new behind-the-scenes video (edited by Mayhem Mendes on YouTube), Ludacris discussed the franchise's themes of "love and family" ahead of Fast X's release date later this month. The rapper and actor, who has played Tej in seven Fast & Furious movies, recognizes that people have started to joke about how much the franchise stresses family and offers a thoughtful defense of the movies' commitment to the major theme. Read what Ludacris said or watch the video below, starting at 4:53:
This franchise is aging very well. It's visually stimulating. There's so much heart and love in it. Everything comes down all the stuff that we deal with in the real world. It all comes down to love and family. That's what matters the most. I know people joke about family and how much we stress family, but we need family, and we need love right now more than ever in the world. So, it's okay for us to continue stressing family and stressing love because a lot of us live vicariously through these characters, and we get hope. We get a sense of confidence and a sense of hope just by watching the screen and living vicariously through each other. That's powerful. That's what cinema is supposed to be all about. I heard Vin say before this isn't a movie, this is a lifestyle.
Fast X Is Going All In On Family
As Ludacris offers a thoughtful defense of the franchise's commitment to family, Fast X is about to go all in on the major theme more than ever film before it. The tenth Fast & Furious film introduces multiple major characters who are related to existing ones – the villain Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), ally Tess (Brie Larson), and Abuela (Rita Moreno). Dante is the son of Fast Five's Hernan Reyes, Tess is the daughter of Mr. Nobody, and the Toretto family matriarch is the grandmother of Dom, Mia, and Jakob.
In Fast X, Dante is seeking revenge against Dom and his crew, who were responsible for his father's death in Fast Five. Dante is just as committed to his family as Dom, acting as an evil foil to the franchise's beloved protagonist. Dante's master plan involves targeting what Dom loves most, his family, by kidnapping his 8-year-old son Brian (played by Leo Abelo Perry). Though the franchise has remained committed to its major theme almost to the point of self-parody, Fast X could take a dark turn as it might spell the end of Dom's family for good.
Source: Mayhem Mendes/YouTube
