Signs of life at the global box office as 'F9' nabs a massive $164 million opening

The Fast and Furious series is known for its unrepentant flaunting of physical science, and now it's waging a war against common wisdom as well.

The MCU-style movieverse of cars and high-speed heists saw its 10th chapter, F9, hit theaters on May 19 in a small-but-mighty lineup of international markets that includes China,...