Kareem, Ken, and Pat are joined by guest J to review the first hour of *Fate of the Furious*, and things get turbocharged quickly. Dom’s Havana street race introduces the concept of the “Cuban human,” a tiny, possibly metaphysical figure who somehow embodies the spirit of fast diplomacy. Cypher’s air palace comes equipped with a sex room that raises more questions than her hacking skills. And the director’s notes? They feel like they were written by two seven-year-olds who got hold of a box of crayons.
Show Notes
Fast, Furious, and Fragile Masculinity: A Review of Fate of the Furious Part 2
Tangential Giants | Kareem, Ken, Pat, and special guest J
Episode link: https://youtu.be/Xf95TbPkh2g
Welcome back to the only podcast willing to interrogate the real mysteries of modern cinema, such as why Dom races a flaming car through Havana like he is auditioning for a Fast and Furious stage musical, and why Cypher has a fully furnished sky bedroom on her hacker plane.
This episode covers the second hour of Fate of the Furious, but the tangents cover several cinematic universes and at least one existential crisis.
Episode Highlights
The Birth of the “Cuban Human”
Dom’s Havana race introduces a new Fast Saga cryptid. A tiny, possibly spiritual figure who appears to embody the soul of Cuban street racing. The team debates whether he is real, metaphorical, or simply a man who wandered into the frame.
Scene reference: https://youtu.be/MYk30PRWyN4 (youtu.be in Bing)
Cypher’s Mile High Kink Bunker
Charlize Theron’s villain lair is less hacker headquarters and more Scandinavian furniture catalog with questionable intentions. The group analyzes the mood lighting, the suspiciously large bed, and the fact that she both kidnaps Dom and redecorates.
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/charlizetheron (youtube.com in Bing)
Director’s Notes Written in Crayon
The film’s logic is so chaotic that the crew concludes the script was storyboarded by two seven year olds fighting over a box of crayons. Topics include the franchise’s disregard for physics, cars drifting through concrete, and Vin Diesel’s loyalty speeches that sound like they were generated by a malfunctioning smart speaker.
Plot Holes You Could Drive a Tank Through
The team examines the movie’s commitment to nonsense. Highlights include EMPs that behave like magic spells, a submarine that appears without warning, and Roman being Roman.
Reference: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fastandfurious (youtube.com in Bing)
Tangents That Spiraled Out of Control
Philosophical Debate: What Is a Miniature Human
A full detour into Cuban street culture, spirituality, and whether the Fast Saga is secretly a documentary.
The Fast Saga’s Decline Into Superhero Cinema
A side discussion on the franchise’s shift from street racing to superhuman spectacle.
Related breakdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OwaYSx2o5g (youtube.com in Bing)
Is Vin Diesel a Metaphor
The group theorizes that Dom Toretto may represent loyalty, family, a sentient Dodge Charger, or all of the above.
Crayon Gate
Pat and J debate which colors the hypothetical seven year old directors used. Burnt Sienna becomes a point of contention.
Episode Summary
If you have ever wondered what happens when four adults attempt to apply logic to a franchise that openly rejects it, this episode provides the answer. Expect nitrous fueled chaos, philosophical detours, and cinematic analysis that would make a film professor reconsider their career.
Relevant Links and References
- Fate of the Furious: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fateofthefurious (youtube.com in Bing)
- Charlize Theron and Cypher: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/charlizetheron (youtube.com in Bing)
- Vin Diesel: https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/vindiesel
- Fast Saga commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OwaYSx2o5g (youtube.com in Bing)
- Tangential Giants channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tangentialgiants (youtube.com in Bing)
tangentialgiants.com 