Climb in and enjoy the ride, suckas!  There’s no need for roads where this franchise is headed!  Space awaits!  Yes, this is where F9 heads and you will love the sheer ridiculousness of it all as the 9th film in the series gets both the FAST and the FURIOUS back on track, avoiding the Moonraker-sized disaster it could have been at the sheer mention of achieving orbit.

F9 opens with a long overdue and fully fleshed-out scene which was once a footnote merely whispered about in the first movie and, after witnessing the death of Dominic Toretto’s father, eventually winds itself into the first installment of the final trilogy of films which should round out the series in an exciting manner, making this full-throttled car opera worthy of every second of its EXTENDED running time.

You heard me correctly.  Buckle up.  It’s going to be one hell of a BIG and DUMB thrill ride as we lay the groundwork for the grand finale!

F9, believe it or not, makes up for some of the weaknesses in the last outing and does a slight course correction which makes it run a hell of a lot smoother as Han (Sung Kang) returns from the dead and Dom’s never-mentioned estranged younger brother, Jakob (John Cena), makes his debut in the series.  Even if Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges) are on board the magnetically-challenged shenanigans to stop the bratty intentions of a dictator’s son, Otto (Thue Ersted Rasmussen), they know enough to NEVER stop bickering and commenting on the series’s brand of outlandish antics especially when they find themselves in a Pontiac Fiero which is strapped to a rocket that will put them in, you guessed it, orbit. 

If you are groaning already, just know that this B-movie series is a MODERN MIRACLE when it comes to moviemaking, having raised an entire generation of gearheaded fans who - like me - don’t even blink at the series' leaps of logic, the laundry list of soap opera antics incorporated, and the macguffins used throughout.  The point is that we EXPECT them all and love them for the popcorn-minded escapism that they are. The fast moving series is pretty bulletproof when it comes to criticism and that’s because the journey in these flicks is ALWAYS worth the price of admission.  Embrace the vehicular carnage and hitch a ride, already!  

B-movie enthusiasts absolutely live on this mac and cheese material and fans of the franchise definitely give the writers - this time Daniel Casey and the film's director Justin Lin - free passes when it comes to rounding up the family for further globetrotting adventures.  Rest assured, the gang's all here as Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Michael Rooker, Gal Gadot, Jason Stathom, Helen Mirren, Kurt Russell, Lucas Black, Bow Wow, Earl Hu and Charlize Theron as Cipher, a criminal mastermind and cyberterrorist who ultimately teams up with Jakob, all climb aboard in some fashion to help Dom swing his car on a rope over a canyon, as well as prevent the mass destruction that Otto dreams about.

Sure, sure, it’s all FANTASTICALLY IMPROBABLE, but it is also damn exciting and thanks to the earnestness of it all, the great stunts, and the heartfelt beats which director Justin Lin and Vin Diesel bring to this installment, F9 rockets its way to the stars and beyond, which should make everyone smile at the sheer escapism joy of it all.    

Make no mistake about it, F9 sticks its landing and has us already eyeing the next two installments in this FUN family affair.

Home Video Distributor: Universal
Available on Blu-ray - August 20, 2019
Screen Formats: 2.39:1
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1; French: DTS-HD HR 7.1; Spanish: DTS 5.1
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set; DVD copy
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A

Dominic Toretto has started over yet again with his life. He has retired with his wife, Letty, and their son, Brian, to a farm where they now live at a slower pace. Yet, his dark past comes back to haunt him...again. Cipher, a cyber-terrorist and criminal genius, partners with Dom's younger brother, Jakob, to help her succeed in finally destroying Dom and his crew. Jakob is also a high performance driver, master thief and assassin and has trained himself to be better, faster and stronger than Dom. If Dom doesn't act, with the help of old and new members of his true family, Cipher's and Jakob's plot could have a far-reaching impact.

Video

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment does it up right with its spectacularly handled Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code Edition of F9 that comes with a blu-ray disc, a DVD copy of the film, and a Movies Anywhere digital redemption code. The blue eco-case is housed in a nicely-designed cardboard slipcover finished with a matte surface and some foil-stamp highlights. This thing crackles with life throughout as the beautiful tack-sharp 1080p 2.39:1 transfer puts on display some incredible stunt work and eye-popping CGI visuals. And that's what these F&F films are all about, right? Bright orange fireballs, cyan skies, dusty brown interior scenes, and the colorful Samoan setting never falter and create a bold, dynamic experience made especially for high end home video systems. There are very few flaws anywhere on this disc even considering the numerous nighttime and dimly lit scenes.

Audio

Exhilarating is certainly one word that can be used to describe the English: Dolby Atmos and English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 tracks that rattle the walls, and crack the plaster as tanks, cars, jets, and fists of fury rumble about the room. Your sub will rarely take a break as the audio spectrum is definitely tilted towards the low end.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• There is a commentary on both versions of the movie from Justin Lin.

Special Features:

Included on the discs are more than an hour of bonus features including the extended version of the movie, deleted scenes, character profile featurettes, action featurettes, an audio commentary with director Jusin Lin, and much more. All-in-all it is clear that Universal is very proud of this release and have given it the royal treatment. Any Fast & Furious fans should be delighted to put this one on their shelves.

• GAG REEL
• F9: ALL IN: The Fast family invites you to be part of the crew as they give you an intimate look at how F9 propels this epic franchise to even greater heights. This bonus feature, with more than 46 minutes of content, includes returning characters, new cast members, huge stunts, big surprises, and so much more.
• PRACTICALLY FAST: When it comes to stunts, it seems each film in The Fast Saga outdoes the last. In this piece, we examine how Justin Lin and his team go to great lengths to shoot as many stunts as they can in-camera and practically, giving the film an authenticity that cannot be achieved solely through visual effects or CGI.
• SHIFTING PRIORITIES: We first met many of these characters when The Fast and the Furious was released in 2001. In the 20+ years since, not only have the characters themselves grown and evolved, but so have the actors that portray them. Art often imitates life, and we look at how that's particularly true in F9.
• JUSTICE FOR HAN: Han is back! Sung Kang and Justin Lin discuss the genesis for the return of this beloved character, while the cast reveals how much it means to them to have Kang back along for the ride.
• A DAY ON SET WITH JUSTIN LIN: The job of a director on any movie production is huge. The job of a director on a production the scale of F9 is immeasurable. Spend a day with Justin Lin and see just how demanding it is to navigate a production day when you're the one with all the answers.
• JOHN CENA: SUPERCAR SUPERFAN: John Cena is a real-life car expert, and no franchise does cars like Fast. Watch John jump from exotic car to exotic car like a kid in a candy store, giving you a true fan's look at some of the rarest and most expensive automobiles in the world.
• FEATURE COMMENTARY (THEATRICAL AND DIRECTOR'S CUT) WITH PRODUCER/CO-WRITER/DIRECTOR JUSTIN LIN

	Movie
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	Extras
Composite Blu-ray Grade

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and language.
Runtime: 145 mins
Director: Justin Lin
Writer: Daniel Casey, Justin Linr
Cast: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster
Genre: Action
Tagline: Fast Family Forever.
Memorable Movie Quote:
Theatrical Distributor: Universal Pictures
Official Site: http://www.thefastsaga.com/
Release Date: June 25, 2021
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: Cipher enlists the help of Jakob, Dom's younger brother to take revenge on Dom and his team.