The Fate of the Furious (2017)

In The Fate of the Furious, a nuclear submarine chases a Lamborghini across a frozen sea, and that’s the part that makes the most sense. Charlize Theron’s hacker Cipher turns Dom against his crew, and Vin Diesel spends most of the movie scowling at his own family, which drains the fun out of a franchise built on group hugs. The good stuff is great. Dwayne Johnson coaches his daughter’s soccer team through a haka, Kurt Russell is a treat, and hacked cars rain out of a New York parking garage. Jason Statham gets one late fight that’s the most fun these movies have had in years. The problem is the forgiveness. A guy who was the big villain a couple of movies ago is suddenly family, and nobody stops to ask how that works. It made $1.24 billion worldwide on a reported $250 to $270M. A 5.4 because the stunts are bonkers and the family drama is out of gas. $48.19 says you walk through a parking garage this week and keep one eye on the top floor.

What works: The car stunts are wild, Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham bicker beautifully, and Kurt Russell brings a sly, easy charm.

What doesn’t: Turning Dom against his crew takes the warmth out of the franchise, and welcoming a former villain into the family happens with no real reckoning.

Who it’s for: Franchise fans who want bigger, sillier car stunts and are happy to ignore the laws of physics for two hours.