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As much as we all miss the late Paul Walker<\/a> as the all-American boy Brian in the car-chasing series, Episode 8 proves the franchise hangs on muscle \u2013 in the human and auto sense, driven by Vin Diesel<\/a>\u2019s camp posturing as car nut Dom Toretto. It has even bigger biceps as Dwayne \u2018The Rock\u2019 Johnson<\/a> flexes the ever-expanding pecks again as law-enforcing Hobbs. But as Toretto always says, it\u2019s \u2018family\u2019 that keeps it together and the momentum on track once more, in more wittier ways than before.<\/p>\n When mysterious cyber villain Cipher (Charlize Theron<\/a>) forces Toretto to join ranks with her against his \u2018car family\u2019 of wife Letty (Michelle Rodriguez<\/a>), Roman (Tyrese Gibson<\/a>), Tej Parker (Ludacris<\/a>) and newbie member Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel<\/a>), the merry band join forces with Hobbs and unlikely ally, former nemesis Deckard (Jason Statham<\/a>) to find rogue Toretto and stop him in his tracks. The question is what hold does Cipher have over him?<\/p>\n The latest saga has all the required throbbing engines, nubile ladies wearing \u2018belts\u2019 as skirts, sneers and jeers and testosterone-fuelled racing to prove a point that any fan expects. It also has the gravity-defying stunts, including the series\u2019 most crackers one yet that involves breaking ice and Russian military hardware. Director F. Gary Gray<\/a> is new to the F&F directing chair, but has stayed loyal to the franchise\u2019s style that there is no obvious difference this time.<\/p>\n With a nice subtle nod to Brian when Toretto goes AWOL, the rest of the characters behave as billed – even Toretto in his new compromised position. The actor, who steals every scene he\u2019s in though, is Statham \u2013 drawing on his comical turn in Spy<\/em><\/a> (2015) and a blend of his Transporter<\/em><\/a>\/Expendables<\/em><\/a>\/Mechanic<\/em><\/a>\/Crank<\/em><\/a> roles all in one gravelly delivery. The actor is certainly getting softer in his old age, the hard edges to his characters smoothening out \u2013 even with Deckard. Strangely, you will grow fond of him in the end.<\/p>\n Fans can expect a couple of old faces popping up throughout from previous escapades too \u2013 they just refuse to go away, nicely illustrating previous plots\u2019 relevance to current events, so there is a lot of thrills to be had there, in addition to the collateral damage.<\/p>\n Get on board again for the ride with Version 8. Expect nothing new, just bigger, dafter ballsier fun with\u00a0egos the size of tanks on the loose. This latest film just adds more fuel to the saga\u2019s tank and keeps it running. Paul, you\u2019d be proud.<\/p>\n 4\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n By @FilmGazer<\/p>\n