This past Sunday, December 11, Vin Diesel and the "Fast and Furious" cast made history in shutting down New York's Times Square to drop the trailer for their newest installment in the "Fast and Furious" saga. As expected, a large number of people showed up to support the hardworking group of people. This trailer has been long awaited by fans since "Furious 7" hit theaters. Long story short, we were not disappointed.
Personally, I am part of the "Fast Family," and I adore this franchise (disregarding the terrible "2 fast 2 furious" and "Tokyo Drift"). In a land where sequels usually ruin their predecessor, the "F&F" saga has gotten better by installment ever since the reboot after the horrendous "Tokyo Drift". The latest installment of this incredible series, "The Fate of the Furious," throws an aggressive curveball at the viewers and leaves us all speechless. Below are my biggest takeaways from the newly released trailer:
1. The Title
The newest installment of the Fast and Furious saga is called "The Fate of the Furious." I didn't really understand the title at first, but came to a realization after viewing the trailer. 'Family' has always been the theme of every "F&F" movie, but this year, it's the complete opposite. The movie is being advertised as 'Family No More.' What does it mean? Dominic Toretto has finally turned on his 'family,' but nobody seems to comprehend why he went rogue. Is he being brainwashed? Is he fed up? Was he blackmailed? Was he promised something? The list of questions is never-ending, and the title of this movie fits perfectly with the plot. By the end of the movie, we will know the 'fate' of this 'furious' family.
2. Charlize Theron
Since the reboot, the team has faced some badass rivals, starting with Tuco Salamanca in "The Fast and the Furious" all the way to Deckard Shaw in "Furious 7." I'm not sure how they do it, but the writers always seem to step it up as the movies continue.
Next year, we will be lucky enough to see Charlize Theron face off against Michelle Rodriguez in a battle of the badasses. We don't see much of her in the trailer, but we are treated to some narration from her throughout it. Usually, I wouldn't be this hyped to see a character played out in a movie with this little footage of said character, but already knowing how dominant Theron is on screen has made me wish April 14th was just around the corner.
3. The Rock v. The Diesel: Dawn of Justice
The Rock v. Diesel in "Fast Five" is one of the greatest moments in cinematic history, in my very important opinion. It was like watching The Hulk take on King Kong. I've seen that movie countless times, and I still shed a tear once both beasts battle on screen. Don't get me wrong, having The Rock as part of the team is super sweet, but I've been dying for them to face off since "Fast Five" hit theaters. This matchup, ALONE, has sold me my ticket.
4. Jason Statham Switches Sides
Jason Statham joined the Fast Family in their previous installment, "Furious 7." He wasn't technically a member of the "family" due to the fact that he was trying to kill them all, but he was a valuable asset during the movie. That being said, how amazing is it that he's switching sides this time around?! This guy defines the word "bad-ass," and nobody can put up a reasonable argument and prove me wrong. In his second scene in "F7," we are treated to an asskick of The Rock delivered by Statham, and now we see them join forces to 'try' and stop Diesel... Keyword: try. From now up until "F8" comes out, I will be hoping that this move is a permanent one because I, and the rest of humanity, would love to see a team led by Diesel, Rock, and Statham.
5. The Submarine
Honestly, when the teaser from the trailer came out, I was very nervous mainly because of the shortly teased scene on ice. It looked mediocre at best, and it just didn't feel like "F&F."
I was wrong.
It was shortly teased in the teaser, but once it was fully shown in the trailer, I was sold. It looks beautifully shot and extremely larger-than-life which is what I've come to expect from this saga. Every "F&F" movie usually tops the other when it comes to ridiculous missions, but "F7" did not deliver due to the fact that we got a tank battle in the middle of the highway in "F6." I wasn't disappointed because, well, how do you top that?
After 3 years, Vin Diesel finally knows how. Nobody expected this, but he's Vin Diesel, so let's just keep letting him surprise us. How does one top a scene that features a tank in the middle of the highway? A scene that features an enormous submarine chase on ice. This is gonna be phenomenal.
"The Fate of The Furious" crashes into theaters on April 14, 2017. This movie will deal with important issues such as family and friendships while tackling their main target... Dominic Toretto. Will they resolve their issues and reunite stronger and better than before, or will the fate of the Furious Family be in jeopardy?
