Review: "Fast & Furious" Faster and More Furious

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 44 (of 2010) by Leroy Douresseaux

Fast & Furious (2009)
Running time: 107 minutes (1 hour, 47 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual content, language and drug references
DIRECTOR: Justin Lin
WRITER: Chris Morgan (based upon characters created by Gary Scott Thompson)
PRODUCERS: Vin Diesel, Michael Fottrell, and Neal H. Moritz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Amir Mokri (director of photography)
EDITORS: Fred Raskin and Christian Wagner

ACTION/CRIME

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, John Ortiz, Laz Alonso, Gal Gadot, John Conley, Shea Whigham, Liza Lapira, Tego Calderon, Don Omar, Greg Cipes, Brandon T. Jackson, and Sung Kang

Fast & Furious is the fourth film in The Fast and the Furious franchise, but it is set before the events of the third film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. The plot of Fast & Furious connects with the original 2001 film and actors Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and Michelle Rodriguez reprise their roles from the first movie. Having them return makes it feel as if this franchise got its mojo back.

Fast & Furious opens with Dominic “Dom” Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his new crew, which includes Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), hijacking fuel tankers in the Dominican Republic. A shocking murder brings the fugitive ex-con Dom back to Los Angeles looking for payback against a mysterious drug lord named Arturo Braga. Meanwhile, Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker), the FBI agent who 5 years earlier infiltrated L.A.’s illegal street racing underground, of which Dom was part, is also after Braga. Although he is still feuding with Brian, Dom will have to forge a new trust with the lawman if they are to have a hope of outmaneuvering the wily Braga. As they cross international lines to foil Braga, Dom and Brian are also forced to do what they do best – push the limits of what is possible behind the wheel of an American muscle car.

Even with its explosive beginning and shocking turn of events, Fast & Furious starts off slow. The character drama and set up of the plot are clunky, but the stars rise to the occasion. Fast & Furious, for the most part, is exactly that – fast and furious, so viewers will get what they expect from this franchise, but not exactly. The car chases and races are so fast and crazy that computer generated images obviously played a part in making them. The story is, overall, darker and edgier than ever before. However, Fast & Furious doesn’t seem derivative, even as part of a franchise, and in spite of some occasionally uninspired character moments, it is just plain fun to watch.

I thought I knew how much I missed Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, but I really had no idea. When they’re blazing, these two stars show us why Fast & Furious had to be and why there will be more.

6 of 10
B

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

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Review: "The Fast and the Furious" is Still Furious

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 88 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Running time: 106 minutes (1 hour, 46 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violence, sexual content and language
DIRECTOR: Rob Cohen
WRITERS: Gary Scott Thompson, Erik Bergquist, and David Ayer, from a screen story by Gary Scott Thompson (based on a magazine article, “Racer X” by Ken Li)
PRODUCER: Neal H. Moritz
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Ericson Core (director of photography)
EDITOR: Peter Honess

ACTION/THRILLER

Starring: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, Matt Schulze, Ted Levine, R.J. de Vera, Thom Barry, and Ja Rule

For some reason, I just felt that I had to see The Fast and the Furious before I saw its recently released sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious. I wanted to see it when the film was first released, but I avoided it. When I asked a former associate about TFTF, he gave it a conditional approval, shrugging his shoulders to let me know that it was entertaining, but forgettable – one of those films. Yes, it certainly is one of those popcorn flicks, forgotten as soon as you walk out the theatre, but while you’re inside, you will be on one of those “rides of your life.” This is simply slick and fantastic entertainment, pure high-speed pleasure, and I wished I’d seen it on a big screen.

Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) is an undercover cop trying to catch a ring of thieves who hijack 18-wheelers. They carry out their crimes in very fast, small cars. His bosses figure they can uncover the thieves’ identities by planting Brian into the world of L.A. street racing, where he meets the top dog of racers, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). Brian falls for Dominic’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), and before long, he just can’t believe that Dominic and his crew could be the hijackers because he’s down with them now. Brian soon finds himself caught between his professional obligations as a law enforcement officer and his position as Dominic’s homie and Mia’s boy toy.

I’ve seen director Rob Cohen’s other film with Vin Diesel, XXX, and while it’s very good, Furious is so much better. Cohen uses every trick in the book: computer effects, editing, and camera work, all to heighten the illusion of super speed for the chase scenes and car race sequences. Actually, the begins rather slowly, but the very second the first race kicks into high gear, I knew I was in for a especially wild ride.

The script ain’t nothing to scream about; it’s a professional by-the-numbers job, and not a really good one at that. There’s lot of emoting and dramatic huffing and puffing from the mostly young cast, but it all works out. The story owes something more than just a nod to the great Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze actioneer, Point Break, also about a policeman who goes native when he infiltrates a gang of crooks with a charismatic leader. With his mega buff body virtually leaking testosterone, Diesel is automatic charisma. Paul Walker (also a veteran of a Cohen film, The Skulls) is almost an exact copy of the Reeves character in Point Break, and he carries his part quiet well.

OK. This is a very good action movie, the kind you want to see when you want an action movie. If you’ve never seen it, then you’re really missing something. Every chase scene and race is brilliant staged and executed. The Fast and the Furious deserves to be called “an adrenaline rush.” [If you’ve seen it already, you’ll probably still get a kick out of it, especially with the “tricked out” DVD release of the film.]

Make sure you watch all the way through the credits, where you will find a tidy wrap up to the story.

7 of 10
B+

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