A movie sequel often doesn’t improve on the original movie.

After eight installments, “The Fate of the Furious” improves on nearly all of the previous seven “Fast and Furious” movies.

Call it “FFgr8.”

The first “The Fast and the Furious,” released in 2001, unleashed Universal Studios’ biggest franchise. Already, “Fast and Furious” nine and 10 are in preproduction.

The eighth installment brings back the crew of tart-tongued misfits and malcontents with hearts of bold, and gold.

The opening scenes returns “Furious” to its street-racing roots as Dom (enigmatically-great Vin Diesel), honeymooning in Havana, Cuba, with Letty (tough but tender Michelle Rodriguez), is challenged to a pink-slip race for his cherry 1961 Chevy Impala. He races his cousin’s 1951 Chevy rat-car against a buffed matte-black 1956 Ford. The sequence, like most in the film, is as exciting as it is preposterous.

From there, it’s on to a covert operation in Berlin, complete with a wrecking-ball attack; a humongous prison break; a dizzying New York City Times Square car-hacking scene that’s beyond belief (well, not all that unbelievable given today’s technology-laden vehicles), and an ice-race to the finish on the Russian tundra, which, oh and by the way, involves a submarine.

The storyline includes yet another face-off between Deckard (excellent Jason Statham) and Hobbs (ever-likable Dwayne Johnson).

Back from three previous “F&F” installments is Elena (Elss Pataky) with a surprise package for Dom and a major plot point explaining his crew turncoat.

Cipher (Charlize Theron, “Mad Max: Fury Road,” 2015, exploring her newfound villain status) has Dom between a rock and hard place (you might say she has his Vin number) as she controls the mayhem game from an Air Force One size plane circling the globe. Cipher’s aide de camp, Rhodes (Kristofer Hivju), is a character written and played a bit too campy.

Roman (Tyrese Gibson) has the film’s best quips, often at the expense of Tej (Ludacris).

Some characters are mere sketches. Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell), Scott Eastwood (Little Nobody) function mostly as plot-point functionaries.

The cars match the drivers (After all, “The only thing that matters is who’s behind the wheel,” says Dom). Among them: Dodge Ice Charger, a modified 1968 Dodge Charger (Dom); Rally Fighter SUV (Letty); Lamborghini Murcielago (Roman); Ripsaw tank (Tej); Dodge Ice Ram truck (Hobbs) and Mercedes AMG GT (Deckard). There’s also a Corvette Stingray, contemporary Dodge Charger, Subaru BRZ and Bentley GT BR9 Coupe.

Director F. Gary Gray (“Straight Outta Compton,” 2015; “Law Abiding Citizen,” 2009; “The Italian Job,” 2003) makes sure the action comes at you so fast there’s little time to quibble about pot holes, er, plot holes, of which there are many. You’re along for the ride. And what a thrill and chill ride it is.

The screenplay by Chris Morgan (“Furious 7,” 2015; “Fast Five,” 2011; “Fast & Furious,” 2009; “The Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift,” 2006; “Cellular,” 2004) based on characters created by Gary Scott Thompson (“The Fast and the Furious,” 2001) utilizes several big set pieces within which there’s time for character development, interplay and quips.

The cinematography by Stephen F. Windon (“Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift”; “Fast Five”; “Fast & Furious 6,” 2013; “Furious 7’) is crisp and up-close on the characters’ faces for dialogue and react shots; blurry and intense for fight scenes, and expansive and all-encompassing for aerial and overhead shots.

The editing by Christian Wagner (“Fast & Furious,” “Fast & Furious 6,” “Furious 7’) and Paul Rubell (“Transformers” series, 2014, 2009, 2007) is rat-a-tat, fuel-injected and hyper-drive. It’s frenetic but effective, especially in the fast-forward flashbacks, which reveal plot after-the-fact.

“The Fate of the Furious” out-Bournes the “Bourne” franchise, out-Bonds the “James Bond” franchise, out-missions the “Mission Impossible” franchise, out-transforms the “Transformers” franchise and out-Marvels the Marvel franchise.

“The Fate of the Furious” races its own franchise to the next level. Who knows where it will go next?

“The Fate of the Furious,”MPAA PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some Material May Be Inappropriate For Children Under 13.) for prolonged sequences of violence and destruction, suggestive content, and language; Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime Thriller; Run time: 2 hrs., 16 mins.; Distributed by Universal Pictures.

Credit Readers Anonymous:“The Fate of the Furious” was filmed in Havana, Cuba; Berlin, Germany; Iceland; Atlanta, New York City and Cleveland.

Box Office,April 21: “The Fate of the Furious” continued to out-run the competition, with a still-powerful $38.6 million, to continue at No. 1 two weeks straight, with $163.5 million, two weeks.

“The Boss Baby” continued at No. 1 for a second week, with $12.7 million, $136.9 million, four weeks.

“Beauty and the Beast” continued at No. 3 with $9.9 million, $471 million, six weeks.

On Earth Day weekend, Disneynature’s “Born in China” opened at No. 4 with $5.1 million.

5. “Going In Style,” $5 million, $31.7 million, three weeks

6. “Smurfs: The Lost Village,” $4.8 million, $33.3 million, three weeks

7. “Unforgettable,” $4.8 million, opening

8. “Gifted,” $4.5 million, $10.7 million, three weeks

9. “The Promise,” $4 million, opening

10. “The Lost City of Z,” $2.1 million, $2.2 million, two weeks

Unreel,April 28:

“The Circle,”PG-13: James Ponsoldt directs Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega and Karen Gillan in the Science-Fiction Thriller about woman who uncovers a hidden agenda at the tech firm where she works.

“How to Be a Latin Lover,”PG-13: Ken Marino directs Eugenio Derbez, Salma Hayek, Rob Lowe and Kristen Bell in the Comedy about a divorced man who moves in with his sister’s family.

Three Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes