Fast X 4K UHD Review

Kazoku

Vin Diesel finds himself trapped between two helicopters as he drives down a bridge, chasing the franchise’s latest foe near the end of Fast X. The helis impale Diesel’s car with harpoons, and in a move only possible in this series at this point in its over-extended life, Diesel wins the day in the most absurd way possible. Of course he does. Family… and stuff.

Speaking of family, that word is spoken near 50 times in Fast X, as if the screenwriters were knowingly in on the joke at this point. They’d have to be to pen yet another entry in this near-final (hopefully) series. Fast X exists as the setup movie, driving (pun intended) toward two more movies to settle this nonsense.

Fast X exists as the setup movie, driving (pun intended) toward two more movies to settle this nonsense

If in watching Fast X, the lone goal is to continue to see ludicrous, physics-twisting action scenes, then yes, this is a monument to that excess. In some way, what makes these characters work is their endless confidence. They always know where to be and when. At the last second maybe, but they’ll arrive. They’re certain of every escape plan, even if that involves driving down the side of a dam or hitting reverse, sending their car out of a cargo plane 100+ feet in the air. Tyrese Gibson serves as the comic relief, but in actuality, he’s the only one representing common sense in Fast X (and the series as a whole).

Fast X doesn’t work because of its action scenes, although a near call at the Vatican is hilariously, improbably ridiculous enough in concept to earn a pass. Instead, the casting team deserves the credit, putting Jason Momoa in the villain’s chair, letting him act out a psychopathic role that meets Fast X’s needs for something this over-the-top. He’s joyfully sadistic, and although this plot kills hundreds of people (maybe thousands; it’s unclear), the entire exercise is too goofy to ever genuinely care about faceless goons and bystanders.

A brief line about respecting police keeps Fast X in the anti-authority zone, still brandishing the heroes as perfect outsiders who deserves nothing but sympathy. That’s why, as they jump out of airplanes, smash hundreds of vehicles, and blow stuff up, their banter and infinite heroics keep them inherently relatable. Their fantasy – and the fantasy they live in – exists well beyond our reality, but as stated 50 times, they’re forever anchored by family. To that, everyone relates.

Video

Gorgeous. Glossy. Fast X is made for this format. The impeccable texture and sharpness draws out detail whether in close or at distance. Awesome city exteriors and wide shots make full use of the available resolution; no doubt Fast X transfers brilliantly to this format.

Invisible encoding handles a few instances of noise, and even those stay minor. It’s typically a clean digital source, finished at full 4K. Dolby Vision drives varied (but usually warm) color. The various location sights reveal a dazzling array in the palette. Density and saturation impress throughout.

Stellar black levels keep shadows thick, enriching the dimensionality no matter the circumstance. Pure black is a constant. While the contrast and peak brightness look great, Fast X doesn’t have the same intensity as some other similar blockbuster offerings. That said, a glint of metal from Roman’s golden car, firework bursts, or the occasional explosion does look spectacular.

Audio

Undoubtedly zero surprise here, but Fast X’s Dolby Atmos track nails reference quality in every sense of the phrase. Whether it’s an elevator shootout with guns firing from overhead or cars jumping through the soundstage, every speaker sees use, and regularly given the amount of action. Even voices split the soundstage on occasion.

Room-rattling low-end throbs whenever Fast X needs an engine to roar, an explosion, gunshots, or a collision. It’s varied too, nicely exhibiting the range whether deep or a light accentuation. This disc isn’t subtle, nor should it be.

Extras

Bonuses open on a gag reel that runs five minutes. A look at the series and the cast runs 35-minutes. Scene breakdowns, a look at the cars, and fights, and location shooting all follow. Another trio of featurettes continue looking at specific cast members. A music video and commentary by director Louis Leterrier close this UHD out.

The following six screen shots serve as samples for our subscription-exclusive set of 47 full resolution uncompressed 4K screen shots grabbed directly from the UHD: