Movie review: Fast And Furious 9

We have come to that point in the Fast saga where the road leads us in the direction of the impossible and the unbelievable.

But with star-producer Vin Diesel and former writer-director Justin Lin back in the driver's seat, fans will not really care if they are, well, taken for a ride - as long as there is scenery to enjoy.

And yes, Fast And Furious 9 is packed with plenty of sights and sounds we have never seen before.

Opening in cinemas here today, this sequel is a legit popcorn fest that is best enjoyed on the big screen.

Expect more outrageous and exhilarating set pieces, wilder action and hand-on-heart attempts at digging deeper into the theme of family.

It is over the top, and then some.

For instance, fitting massive electromagnets onto cars and using it as a weapon turns out to be a pretty nifty trick.

Even more bonkers is watching Roman (Tyrese Gibson) and Tej (Ludacris) suit up like astronauts to enter orbit in a rocketised Pontiac Fiero.

If space is indeed the final frontier, where can the franchise go from here when there are still two movies left?

But hey, no time to ask questions, these guys are saving the world okay?

Fast And Furious 9 has managed to defy all laws of gravity, physics and logic, and it is on the brink of parody.

So the film-makers counter that by getting a suddenly self-aware Roman to almost break the fourth wall by acknowledging how "not normal" all of it is.

He even thinks the whole crew are "invincible" as they always emerge from disaster unscathed.

Any time the audience is driven to distraction, comic relief comes in as a temporary remedy before the film continues to rev forward.

And don't get me started on how Han (Sung Kang), who appeared in films four to seven and died in a fiery explosion in 2006's Tokyo Drift, is miraculously alive and rejoins the crew. It is yet another ridiculous thing we simply have to accept, and move on.

Charlize Theron reprises her role as cyber-terrorist Cipher, the main villain from Fast And Furious 8, but unfortunately spends almost all her screen time incarcerated in a glass room, glaring at and exchanging barbs with the new bad guy Jakob (John Cena).

Now that Dwayne Johnson is out of the picture, Diesel replaces The Rock with another WWE superstar to go toe to toe with.

Cena does a fine job as the brother who cannot seem to step out of golden boy Dom's (Diesel) shadow, and the backstory of their strained relationship via multiple flashbacks does keep us engaged.

So just when you think the Fast saga has used up everything in its tank, it looks like those wheels will keep on turning to the finish line.

SCORE: 3.5/5

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MOVIE: Fast And Furious 9

STARRING: Vin Diesel, John Cena, Tyrese Gibson, Charlize Theron, Michelle RodriguezWRITER-DIRECTOR: Justin Lin

THE SKINNY: Dom Toretto (Diesel) and his crew join forces to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they have ever encountered – who also happens to be Dom’s estranged brother (Cena).

RATING: PG13