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a14 people & arts
Friday 19 May 2023

A delicious Jason Momoa

saves ‘Fast X’ from furiously

speeding off into numbness

By MARK KENNEDY know then, but that bad
AP Entertainment Writer guy had a son who sur-
Fans and critics may dis- vived and now, years later,
agree over when exactly vows vengeance. That’s it.
the “Fast & Furious” fran- That’s the plot.
chise jumped the shark, but That said, “Fast X” is mon-
there is only one correct strously silly and stupidly
answer: When the Pontiac entertaining — just Wile
Fiero went into space. E. Coyote stuff, ridiculous
Weightless and violating stunts employing insane
every physical law, the G-forces and everything
floating car — tasked with seemingly on fire. There are
bumping a satellite in the elements of “Mission: Im-
ninth installment — was the possible,” 007 and “John
very symbol of how bloat- Wick,” as if all the action This image released by Universal Pictures shows Jason Momoa in a scene from “Fast X.”
ed and crazed the once- franchises were somehow Associated Press
plucky series had become. merging. But here’s a warn-
There really was no way ing: It careens to an end
down after that. without a payoff, a more has a penchant for plan- Bridges, Jordana Brew- family photos and he stares
And yet we have come to dangerous stunt than any ning explosions and then ster, John Cena, Jason at them intently. “I only
10, part of a planned series in the movies themselves. standing on a high spot Statham, Charlize Theron, care about protecting the
of films finally saying good- The film would not be near and throwing his arms wide Sung Kang, Scott Eastwood people that I love,” he will
bye. “Fast X” is, thankfully, enough as fun without Ja- like Christ the Redeemer as and Helen Mirren, whose growl.
shackled to Earth’s grav- son Momoa, who plays the the blast wave hits. The film attempt once again at Family — as fans of the
ity — sometimes tenuously, bad guy’s son as a full-on sags as soon as he’s not in a working-class accent is franchise know well — is
it must be said — but it has flamboyant psycho, lick- it. comical. This is a clown car always central, or rather,
become almost camp, as if ing a knife clean after kill- Momoa is part of the fran- of talent. The poster for the a gothic zero-sum notion
it breathed in too much of ing someone with it and chise’s familiar tactic of film includes 14 characters, of blood’s bond explained
its own fumes. painting the toenails of a stacking ever more stars like an Avengers movie. with soap opera dialogue.
“Fast X” reaches into the dead victim as he displays with not enough to do — At the center is the always- Toretto must protect family
fifth movie — 2011’s “Fast the corpse in a demented this time we also welcome sleeveless Diesel, who no matter the cost (but ap-
Five” — for the seeds to tell garden party. “Never ac- Brie Larson, Alan Ritchson, keeps getting exposed as parently OK with leaving his
a new story. In a memo- cept death when suffering Daniela Melchior and Rita a truly terrible actor, one 8-year-old son in someone
rable moment five mov- is owed,” he says. Moreno. There’s even a who evidently only attend- else’s care as he drag rac-
ies ago, Vin Diesel’s Dom He is half Joaquin Phoenix Pete Davidson cameo. ed the Brooding 101 semi- es in Rio). “You know what
Toretto wrecked a bad guy from “The Joker” and half That’s on top of regulars nar in drama school. The your problem is?” teases
and his team on a bridge in Jack Sparrow from “Pirates Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese filmmakers usually just prop Momoa. “Family. You can’t
Rio de Janeiro. Little did we of the Caribbean.” Momoa Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” him up in front of a wall of save them all.”q

CNN’s Amanpour criticizes network’s

decision to hold Trump town hall

graduating students at Co- Everyone knows Trump said. “Maybe live is not al-
lumbia University’s gradu- tries to seize the stage and ways right.”
ate school of journalism dominate at such events, Amanpour criticized the
on Wednesday that she said Amanpour, the chief town hall’s audience, cho-
would have “dropped the international correspon- sen by CNN because they
mic at ‘nasty person,’” a dent who has worked at were Republicans or in-
reference to when Trump CNN for 40 years. dependents who plan to
lobbed that insult at mod- “No matter how much flak vote in the 2024 Republi-
erator Kaitlan Collins. the moderator tries to aim can primary.
CNN was criticized for host- at the incoming, it doesn’t Citing the precedents of
ing Trump at a live event in work,” she said. past candidate debates or
New Hampshire, where the Perhaps today’s journal- forums, CNN should have
Christiane Amanpour participates in the “Amanpour & Co.” 2024 presidential candi- ism leaders should learn insisted “that our invited
panel during the TCA Summer Press Tour on July 30, 2018, in date repeated lies about from those in the 1950s, guests behave themselves
Beverly Hills, Calif. the last election before a who refused to give Sen. — no hooting, no hollering,
Associated Press
mostly adoring audience. Joseph McCarthy atten- no jeering, no cheering.”
By DAVID BAUDER journalist to publicly criti- CNN Chairman Chris Licht tion “unless his foul lies, his “I can only hope that your
AP Media Writer cize her network for airing has defended the town witch hunts and his rants” trust in us might have been
NEW YORK (AP) — Vet- last week’s town hall with hall as newsworthy and reached the basic level shaken but not shattered,
eran correspondent Chris- former President Donald important, and Amanpour for evidence allowed in a that you believe that we
tiane Amanpour became Trump. said she had a “robust dis- courtroom, she said. can survive and rebuild
the most prominent CNN Amanpour told a group of cussion” with him about it. “Maybe less is more,” she that trust,” she said.q