F9 (2021)

Willmore finds the film’s outlandishness buoyed by its earnest emotional continuity, making it a joyful return to form. She especially praises how the franchise’s commitment to family gives even its absurd spectacle a strange grace.

O'Sullivan finds F9 hugely enjoyable and calls it the best entry in the series. She praises the flair of its action set pieces and its self-reflexive wit.

Strong calls the film a joyful return to form and ideal multiplex escapism. She praises its earnestness and elaborate stunts, while noting the runtime could be shorter.

The standfirst presents the film as a thoroughly enjoyable romp. It singles out the Fast and Furious crew as the source of its appeal.

Bradshaw finds the film a cheerfully refreshing, magnificently silly action spectacle, though its plot and logic are negligible. He especially praises Tyrese Gibson’s comedy and the surreal sequence in which characters blast into space.

Rothkopf finds the film a rejuvenation for the franchise and close to an ideal summer blockbuster, though it sometimes goes too far into silliness. He praises Michelle Rodriguez’s emotional depth and the film’s strongest action sequence, while criticizing its weightless effects.

Chang finds the ninth installment a mostly solid, reassuring return that restores emotional continuity to the franchise. He praises Justin Lin’s balance of spectacular absurdity and cinematic coherence, especially the return of Han.

The critic finds F9 entertaining despite its garbled plot. They praise its spectacle and say it recovers some of the franchise’s heart.

The critic finds F9 entertaining despite its predictability and poor acting. She praises its relentless spectacle and pace, while singling out the acting as especially bad.

The critic finds the film ridiculous but warmly entertaining, with its family themes providing heart. They single out Jordana Brewster’s welcome action scenes and a small, affecting smile as the lasting impression.

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Ehrlich finds that F9 is a messy but ultimately successful return to form, steering the franchise back toward its core. He praises how the outsized spectacle is balanced by a deeper focus on Dom’s vulnerability and family.

The review finds F9 entertaining in its standout action sequences but weighed down by family drama and franchise baggage. It praises the Edinburgh chase for its inventive, exhilarating set pieces.

The review finds the film entertaining but overstuffed. It praises the franchise’s outrageous set pieces while noting the story’s excesses.

Cole finds the film overstuffed and emotionally diminished, though its action restores some of the series’ energy. He especially praises the coherent, dynamic car sequences, while criticizing the retcons and lack of stakes.

Farley finds the film an entertaining, big-screen spectacle that gets the series back on track, though it sometimes pushes its excesses too far. He praises the chaotic action, especially a sequence riffing on Fast 5’s safe heist.

Gleiberman finds the sequel overstuffed and less thrilling than it should be, though it avoids completely jumping the shark. He praises the comic pairing of Roman and Tej but says the family plot and generic threats cannot anchor the film.

DeFore finds the installment bloated and often dull, with its action lacking either thrills or convincing absurdity. He particularly criticizes the minefield and bridge sequence for ignoring basic physics.

Russell calls the film a pointless misfire and says the franchise has crashed and burned. He singles out its lack of purpose as the central complaint.

Lane finds F9 embarrassingly implausible and inept, with its escalation into outer space seeming desperate. He singles out the stunts and Diesel’s increasingly unconvincing acting for criticism.

The critic finds the film exhilaratingly ridiculous and says its outsized action still works. The stunt and effects teams are singled out for making the increasingly large set pieces visually and viscerally effective.

Surrey finds F9 an exhilarating, excessive return to form that embraces the franchise’s absurdity. He especially praises the sustained, inventive action and the way its spectacle is anchored by an earnest theme of family.

Oller finds the overstuffed film uneven but still magnetic, with its earnest themes and self-aware absurdity keeping it satisfying. He especially praises a creatively directed sequence that visualizes Dom’s memories across decades.

Crow finds F9 ridiculous but irresistibly earnest, calling it a revival for the franchise. He especially praises Justin Lin’s balance of melodrama and cartoonish action.

The critic finds the film entertaining despite its overly familiar plot. The outlandish action sequences, especially the space-bound finale, are singled out for delivering the spectacle fans expect.

The review finds the sequel entertaining but comparatively safe, with its outrageous premise and familiar franchise formula limiting its impact. It praises the thrilling finale and singles out Helen Mirren’s London car chase as a highlight.

Bui finds that the film’s absurd, self-aware action brings the franchise back on track, though its emotional story falls flat. She praises the Edinburgh magnet chase and the welcome return of Han, while criticizing the lifeless CGI and uneven tone.