Even if action films tended to peak within the ‘90s, the 21st century saw a renewed interest in iconic franchises like Bourne, Mission: Impossible, Die Hard, Indiana Jones, and James Bond. However, no one would have predicted that the Fast series would end up becoming a phenomenon, or that Vin Diesel would end up becoming such a significant draw. Although there was a brief period in which the series looked like it was doomed, a clever switch of tones by Justin Lin turned this street racing series into an action-packed heist adventure.
The Fast franchise has never had any degree of consistency, as the series is responsible for both guilty pleasures and some of the worst blockbusters in recent memory. There’s almost no guarantee that it will ever receive a proper conclusion, as Diesel appears to be locked in conflict with Universal Pictures over the proposed budget for the last film. Here is every film in The Fast and the Furious series, ranked worst to best.
11
‘F9’ (2021)
F9 is officially the film in which the series jumped the shark, and not just because it turned into a science fiction adventure when the cars went into space. F9 seemed to overestimate how much the audience cared about the characters, as much of the film rests on Diesel’s unconvincing talents as a dramatic actor. Diesel’s ego is on full display, as many of his co-stars are denied the opportunity to have substantial roles.
F9 has one of the weakest villains in the whole series, as the backstory given to John Cena’s character is inconsistent with the franchise’s lore, and ends up not mattering once he ends up switching sides to become Don’s ally. The film also wastes the talents of the great Charlize Theron, who is sidelined and forced to give some of the worst dialogue ever when she is captured in prison.
10
‘Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw’ (2019)
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw is exactly what happens when audiences get too much of a good thing. Although the chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham was exciting when they were given a sideplot within a broader story, the characters ultimately work better as members of the ensemble, as neither has enough depth to be a lead. Even if it is technically part of the Fast franchise, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw features so much ridiculous technology and death-defying stunts that it feels like a superhero movie.
Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw is way too long, especially when it takes an unexpected detour in the third act to get into Hobbs’ heritage and family. Although Idris Elba at least appears to be having some fun by playing a ridiculous villain who is a radical environmentalist, he feels like a character that belongs in a completely different film.
9
‘Fast X’ (2023)
Fast X is perhaps the most incoherent film in the series because it was clearly rewritten and reworked in order to accommodate the cast. Not only did the film shoehorn in the return of Statham, Johnson, Theron, and even Gal Gadot (whose character had been killed off in a previous film), but it attempted to turn Cena’s character into a hero, despite the fact that he had nearly killed Don’s entire crew in F9.
The biggest issue with F9 is that it feels like half of a movie, as it was clearly made with the intention that it would be the first half of a two-part event; while some “part one” films like Mission: Impossible- Dead Reckoning and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse still feel like complete and satisfying films in their own right, Fast X feels like it cut off its story at an awkward and dramatically oblivious moment.
8
‘The Fate of the Furious’ (2017)
The Fate of the Furious was the first sign that the Fast series was in serious trouble, as it was the first sequel released after the tragic death of Paul Walker. Not only had Walker provided an emotional component to the series that had made them more compelling, but he helped reign in Diesel, who was never a very good actor to begin with.
The twist of Don joining forces with the villain was done only for shock value, and ended up not paying off in a satisfying way. However, The Fate and the Furious did have the benefit of featuring great chemistry between Johnson and Statham, whose dynamic together was so entertaining that they were jettisoned from the main series so that they could star in a spinoff in which Diesel could not try to insert himself as the main character.
7
‘2 Fast 2 Furious’ (2003)
2 Fast 2 Furious is one of the more underrated films in the franchise because of the brilliant director behind it. While no one would argue that 2 Fast 2 Furious is one of the best films that the late great John Singleton ever made, it does benefit from the unique filmmaking style and interest in culture that were exclusive to him.
Singleton is a great director of actors, and made a smart choice in introducing Tyrese Gibson into the series as a new ally to Brian. The film is also reflective of a very different time in the franchise in which it was still about street racing, and didn’t involve plots to take over the world. While it feels disconnected from the rest of the series because of Diesel’s absence, that is not necessarily a negative, all things considered.
6
‘Fast & Furious’ (2009)
Fast & Furious is perhaps the most important film in the franchise because it established a formula that would be improved upon by subsequent entries. With his second film in the series, director Justin Lin clearly had the confidence to make the stakes bigger without sacrificing the character dynamics that had made the original films work. It’s also incredibly self-aware in a way that many of the other films were not.
Fast & Furious doesn’t quite reach the heights of spectacle that its sequels would, but Lin was able to ensure that the series still had a tinge of believability. Lin also made the smart choice of putting the focus back on Brian and Dom; while no one would make the argument that Diesel and Walker are very good actors, they undeniably had great chemistry that became exciting when they were finally able to start working together.
5
‘The Fast and the Furious’ (2001)
The Fast and the Furious is, for better or worse, a classic to many action fans, even if it hasn’t held up quite as well as some may imagine. Ultimately, the film’s biggest issue is that it is nearly a complete ripoff of Point Break; even if there are many action films that drew from Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, The Fast and the Furious pulls so willfully from Kathryn Bigelow’s 1991 action masterpiece that is nearly feels like plagiarism.
The Fast and the Furious almost feels like an outlier in the series at this point because it actually focused on racing, and does feature some impressive competition scenes. While dialogue is not the film’s strong suit, it does have a signature sense of style that signified that the characters had the potential to go on bigger and more elaborate adventures within the sequels.
4
‘Fast & Furious 6’ (2013)
Fast & Furious 6 was a very solid follow-up to the franchise’s best entry that was able to balance its ensemble in a compelling way. Although Johnson had proven that he was even more exciting as an ally to Dom and Brian than he was as a villain, Luke Evans proved to be an entertaining new antagonist who pushed the family to their limits. Even if there is no regard for physics, Fast & Furious 6 isn’t too concerned about taking itself seriously for that to really matter.
Fast & Furious 6 does have some unconvincing romantic drama, as the lack of chemistry between Diesel and Michelle Reodriguez has never been more apparent. However, the film ends with an exhilarating runway chase that proves what a great filmmaker Lin is, and reaches much more creative heights than most franchises would expect to within their sixth entry.
3
‘The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift’ (2006)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift is by far the boldest swing in the entire franchise because it dropped the entire cast to focus on Han Lue (Sung Kang) and Sean Boswell (Lucas Black), who go on a series of adventures avoiding jail time in Tokyo. It’s an impressionistic, vibrant encapsulation of the city’s culture that feels much closer to Taxi Driver than it does to the previous two films, which may be why Christopher Nolan is a huge fan.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift seems to exist in an alternative reality of the franchise where it was more of an anthology series that followed different characters on a series of disconnected adventures. While this ultimately never ended up happening, it does make The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift feel even more unique as a result.
2
‘Furious 7’ (2015)
Furious 7 finally embraced the larger-than-life absurdism that the series had always danced around, and benefited from the presence of director James Wan. As fans of The Conjuring and Insidious franchises could attest to, Wan has a talent for merging surprisingly nuanced character relationships within intimate, exciting sequences of suspense, and his approach was very beneficial to a series that was losing steam. Statham’s presence was a clear bonus, as he had the star power and charisma needed to feel like an actual threat.
Furious 7 had unexpected emotional power because of the real-life death of Walker, whose last scenes were included within the film, as well as a few new moments performed by his brothers. Even for those who hadn’t been involved with the series previously, it was a moving tribute to a well-liked actor who was gone way too soon.