Fast & Furious Supercharged Review
Why
Warning: this ride is a meme. Now, this could be good, or this could be very, very bad. More often than not, it’s the second option.
Universal Studios creative vice president Thierry Coup had this to say about Fast & Furious Supercharged: “the approval of the Florida attraction is the biggest mistake of my career”. Now we know we are in for a good time! Don’t go into Supercharged to have fun, but to learn what not to do when creating your very own motion simulator. Oh, also go in here just to have a laugh and wonder what the heck happened during the development of this ride.
This ride isn’t that good. In fact, it’s probably the worst ride in Universal Orlando. But, hey, I do think that you should bring your kids to every attraction they can ride at least once. So, yeah, you should definitely bring them here! Even more so if they failed to make their bed in the morning or are slacking with homework, this will teach them. Just kidding…
Fast & Furious: Supercharged is another motion simulator in Universal Studios, based on the multi-billion-dollar franchise of the same name. This fact alone was already a reason for guests to dislike the ride. I mean, another motion simulator in a theme park that is already filled with them? Yep. The second reason is that, apparently, the Orlando version of the ride is way worse than the one in California, with the vehicle barely shaking. I haven’t been to that one yet, but online reviews for the Hollywood attraction are mixed, while the Florida version often receives overwhelmingly negative reviews.
The Good
Lol.
The Bad
Oh god, I don’t want to write the next Odyssey, so let’s keep things short.
Your vehicle will move across a set track with TV screens on both sides, featuring actors from the movie like Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and also The Rock. The main problem is that the resolution isn’t that great and the computer-generated effects are just lackluster. Seriously, the CGI is terrible, and there is a chance that the Nintendo 64 makes better graphics.
The ride also tries to invoke some sense of speed, but it fails to do so. Not good. And you know what, they even missed the opportunity to build a launch roller coaster as a drag race inspired by the Fast & Furious, or even something like Test Track in Epcot. It looks like Universal Studios Hollywood is getting a roller coaster based on Fast & Furious, so there is still a chance that this franchise will get a fun ride in the near future.
There is some sort of story there, I think? You board a train similar to the one used for the defunct Disaster! Ride, which apparently evolved with time and became a real disaster with Supercharged. Then it’s time for a motion simulator with screens on both sides, with… stuff… happening. Vin Diesel and the rest of the gang say some things, sometimes people shoot guns and there is even a guy with a flamethrower. I don’t exactly know what’s going on most of the time and it looks like the script was written in an early version of ChatGPT.
The scale is also all messed up in some parts. There is a helicopter in CG that is the same size as Vin Diesel. I know that he is big and strong and maybe the size of a car, but a helicopter? C’mon, man.
Will Kids enjoy it?
You don’t bring your kids to enjoy Fast & Furious. You bring them here when they're misbehaving or not listening to you. Remember that scene in The Lion King when Mufasa tells Simba that he'll rule over all the lands, except for that dark, sinister region in the distance, shrouded in shadows? This is that dark region.
You bring your kids here to teach them a life lesson as well. Sometimes, things don’t work out as intended.There is light and there is darkness; there is hope and there is despair; there is Pepperoni Pizza and then there is Pineapple Pizza. Who knew that the Fast & Furious ride could actually teach us something in this journey that we call life.
