“Fast X” may well be the most ridiculous, preposterous, absurd and totally insane cinematic experience of the year.

It’s also very entertaining.

Anchored by several so-silly-they-are-good action sequences, plus the addition of an outlandish new villain played by Jason Momoa, this is the best the franchise has been in at least the last two or three movies. It’s a high octane thrill ride that never allows the audience to process just how crazy this film really is.

This is a check your brain at the door and just enjoy the ride kind of film.

“Fast X” begins with everything seemingly great for Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his makeshift family (that one character later refers to in the film as a “cult with cars”).

But the good times don’t last long, as Dominic’s concerns that his past will come for him become reality in the form of Dante (Momoa). He’s the son of Hernan Reyes (Joaquim de Almeida), the Brazilian drug lord from “Fast X” who met his demise at the hands of Dominic and his crew.

Dante sets his sights not just on Dominic, but his entire crew and his young son (Leo Abelo Perry).

Nearly everyone returns from the original films, with a cast that is just overflowing with talent. Back for more includes Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, Chris “Ludicrous” Bridges, John Cena and Jason Statham. There are also three former Oscar winners returning — Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno and Charlize Theron — making you wonder just what the pitch was to get that trio involved not just once, but multiple times.

“Fast X” adds another former Oscar winner with Brie Larson joining the cast as an FBI agent trying to help Dominic and his crew. In any other film, the way she blends right into the cast would be the headline — the kind of performance that really injects life into a long running franchise.

But Larson is upstaged by Momoa, who goes full Joker-mode as the film’s main heavy. Momoa is a total blast in “Fast X,” so over-the-top he basically destroys the scenery. It’s the kind of performance that walks a fine line between fun camp and eye-rolling overacting, but Momoa manages to walk that line quite effectively.

Fans of the franchise may care about the characters, but the real draw is the action sequences — which director Louis Leterrier presents in fabulous fashion. The set pieces are beyond logic, with everything from the gang chasing down a nuclear device through the streets of Rome to a chase on a highway that basically ignores the laws of physics. 

At this point, the franchise is nothing more than a Marvel movie with cars with action sequences playing out like a video game. It shouldn’t work, but in “Fast X” it all manages to come together quite nicely — with the film never taking itself too seriously (even if it includes numerous amounts of dialogue about family that sounds like it came from a fortune cookie).

Is “Fast X” a good movie? Probably not. But is it a good time, that delivers exactly what the audience wants? Most definitely.

That is more than enough for a franchise that proves it still has gas left in the tank.

Starring: Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster

Directed by: Louis Leterrier

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, language and some suggestive material

Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Mall Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)

Grade: B-