285. The Fast and the Furious; movie review

 

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS

Cert 12A

106 mins

BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, moderate violence, sex references

So, this is where it began. What started as an excuse to show off fast car chases became a 20-year franchise with no end in sight.

Apparently, the huge success of The Fast And The Furious took movie studios by surprise when it was released in 2001 and, except for the speed scenes, it is certainly rough around the edges.

So, the humour of the future movies is missing as we are introduced to Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), Mia (Jordana Brewster) and, of course, Brian (Paul Walker).

The story of an undercover cop infiltrating a heist gang is moderately engaging but plays second fiddle to the illegal races and the robberies from on-the-move trucks.

Rob Cohen's film doesn't attempt to woo its audience through high-quality acting. Its essence is machismo and speed.

There is also a touch of West Side Story about the gang rivalry between Toretto's friends and family and that of a Chinese crew.

How do I come to that conclusion?

Well, the movement of the characters is so lithe it almost seems to be choreographed and the longer the story lasts, the clearer that danger will turn fatal.

The tale centres on Brian's covert attempt to nail those responsible for the heists but going native during the undercover operation.

It throws up questions of loyalty and whether basic instincts take over given specific circumstances.

But at its heart, it is partying, breaking the law and driving as fast as possible.

The people and the cars are hot and that is just what its audience wants to see.

Reasons to watch: The start of a near-20-year franchise

Reasons to avoid: The machoism jars a bit nowadays

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? Neither Michelle Rodriguez nor Jordana Brewster had their driver's licences before making The Fast And The Furious.

The final word. Paul Walker: "My father was always into cars. I grew up with all of the various car publications. That's what I read. They were always around the house. My grandfather actually raced factory cars for Ford. I think the whole speed car thing is really in my blood." MTV

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