The Fast and the Furious Review

As someone who can’t drive, won’t drive, and probably will never need to do so, I didn’t think I could find much of interest in The Fast and the Furious as either a concept or a story. I don’t care for cars, the grit and grease of making them bores me, and I feel quite nauseous whenever I’m in one. Still, that shouldn’t stop me from making peace with a series that features nothing but fast (and furious) cars. Somehow straddling pop culture and never letting go, The Fast and the Furious has survived through sheer dumb luck, and a love for explosions, Vin Diesel, and early 2000s iconography that’ll do to your nostalgia what Brian O’Conner does to green automobiles. 

An undercover cop looking to take down a gang of big rig robbers, O’Conner (Paul Walker) infiltrates a gang led by Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). I don’t think Diesel could work a microwave, let alone mastermind a criminal organisation that preys on truck drivers. Still, colour me surprised, because that’s exactly what The Fast and the Furious looks to show. Occasionally. When it’s not pumping us full of exposition, derivative conversations and helpful, handy reminders that it all boils down to looking out for your family. A message I’m sure will resonate with just about everyone in the business of stealing cars and blowing expensive, fuel-powered vehicles up.  

With performances that range from boring to competent, The Fast and the Furious must rely on its namesake, fast cars and tantalising action. I’m surprised at how little there is, honestly. It’s something I hope the series amends in further instalments, but there’s really not much going on here. We spend little to no time at all-in high-speed pursuits, presumably because most of the budget went on acquiring enough vehicles for Diesel to take his anger out on. A quick race toward the start of the film all about respect, and then one climactic finale involving a train and two ugly cars to round the film off and set up that ever-cherished ambiguous ending. Everything in-between is a series of violent dramatics that remove supporting characters from the plane of reality for good.  

A product of its times, The Fast and the Furious relies on odd editing and directing styles, poor fashion choices, and an overwhelming inability to let go of the blockbuster fascinations which now feel outdated and underwhelming. It’s fun to watch with friends, laughter is bound to spring up somewhere, but it’s difficult to figure out whether we’re laughing at or with this piece from director Rob Cohen. Neither fast nor furious, The Fast and the Furious is puzzlingly slow in its dated ways, with swathes of exposition that don’t amount to much more than enviously poor fashion statements, brightly coloured cars, and drinking plentiful amounts of Corona with the family.