The Fate of the Furious Is a Thrilling but Sometimes Bumpy Ride

This week at the movies, we have some high-octane sequel action (The Fate of the Furious, starring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson). What are the critics saying?

The Fate of the Furious (2017)

67%

With fast cars, a charismatic cast, enjoyably absurd action sequences, and enough ever-expanding mythology to rival a soap opera, the Fast & Furious franchise includes some of the most critic-proof movies in modern Hollywood — which makes the enthusiastic reviews that have greeted recent installments arguably even more impressive. The Fate of the Furious adds an eighth chapter to the saga, and looks likely to extend the series’ Fresh streak; while some critics have turned up their noses at this chapter’s story, which finds fans’ beloved Dom (Vin Diesel) inexplicably in the clutches of a villainess (Charlize Theron) hatching an evil plan with potentially global consequences, it’s the pedal-to-the-metal set pieces that are this franchise’s bread and butter — and on that front Fate delivers, adding just enough bro-tastic repartee between the stars to make this one of the better-reviewed Furious films. None of which is probably likely to sway your moviegoing decision either way, but if you’re in the audience this weekend, at least you know the critics had a good time too.

What’s New on TV

Better Call Saul: Season 3

98%

Better Call Saul shows no signs of slipping in season 3, as the introduction of more familiar faces causes the inevitable transformation of its lead to pick up exciting speed.

Also Opening This Week In Limited Release

• Glory (2016) 94% , about the bureaucracy-fraught aftermath of one man’s decision to do the right thing, is at 100 percent.
• My Entire High School Sinking Into the Sea (2016) 84% , an animated dramedy about the relationships — and larger-than-life goings-on — at a high school in peril, is at 95 percent.
• Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer (2016) 87% , starring Richard Gere as a man whose networking skills bring him social standing — and could mean its downfall — is at 94 percent.
• Mimosas (2016) 83% , a drama following the members of a caravan on their journey through a mountain range in central Morocco, is at 92 percent.
• A Quiet Passion (2016) 92% , an Emily Dickinson biopic starring Cynthia Nixon as the celebrated poet, is Certified Fresh at 91 percent.
• The Lost City of Z (2016) 85% , starring Charlie Hunnam as real-life explorer Percy Fawcett on his trek through the Amazon, is Certified Fresh at 88 percent.
• Heal the Living (2016) 91% , in which the connections between three groups of people are slowly made apparent, is at 88 percent.
• By the Time It Gets Dark (2016) 91% , a multi-pronged look at the lethal government clampdown on student protests in 1977 Bangkok, is at 71 percent.
• Gifted (2017) 73% , starring Chris Evans as a man whose guardianship of his niece is threatened by the attention attracted by her prodigious intellect, is at 65 percent. It expands to wide release this weekend.
• Tommy's Honour (2016) 68% , inspired by the true story of the father-son duo who helped popularize the game of golf, is at 64 percent.
• Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary (2016) 74% , a film whose contents are helpfully outlined out in its title, is at 63 percent.
• Little Boxes (2016) 70% , about a sixth-grade boy caught between the expectations of racial communities, is at 58 percent.