Quite similar to the Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze flick “Point Break,” “The Fast and the Furious” is a story about an undercover cop who becomes friends with the criminals. Except this time it’s cars instead of surfboards. Based on a magazine article published in Vibe, the film is set in the world of street-racing gangs that seem to be all the rage in LA. In much the same way that ravers elude the cops by moving their illegal all-night music/dance events from warehouse to warehouse, the racers seal off entire blocks of street so they can put on drag races, then vanish into the night at the first sound of sirens.
Paul Walker (“The Skulls”) plays Brian, a boyish FBI agent investigating a series of truck hijackings by going undercover and infiltrating a drag racing team led by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). Toretto makes as much as 10 grand when someone has the nerve to race his ride. Caught up in Toretto’s world of gang conflict that is fought in late-night drag races on public streets, Brian soon sympathizes with his chief suspect and falls for Toretto’s younger sister Mia (Jordanna Brewster). As the characters race at speeds topping 170 mph, you are caught in a world that seems different from your own.
“The Fast and the Furious” is an intense ride full of testosterone that leaves you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The races are exciting and are filmed with charisma, not too long, and enjoyable every time. It rides smoother and faster than “Gone in Sixty Seconds” and is the guilty-pleasure pick of the summer. It’s a movie you could wait for on video, but would be a shame to miss on the big screen.
3.5 / 5 Stars
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordanna Brewster
Director: Rob Cohen
