The Fast and the Furious

I look with a sense of awe that a franchise of films that started out as a shameless ripoff of the Keanu Reeves/Patrick Swayze film Point Break has gone on to spawn six sequels, each one seemingly more popular than the last. That just doesn't happen usually. The films know that they are not high art and never pretend to be, unless you ask Vin Diesel who seems genuinely convinced one of these films is going to win Best Picture. I wouldn't hold my breath, Vin. That said, they're still a lot of fun.

The first film in the series focuses on Brian O'Connor (played by Paul Walker), who is an undercover cop infiltrating the Street Racing scene in Los Angeles to try and find a connection to a gang of unidentified individuals who are heisting semi-trucks loaded with electronics. Soon enough he meets up with Dominic Toretto (played by Vin Diesel) and the two become fast friends after Brian helps Dominic evade arrest after their latest street race is broken up by the cops. 

Believing Brian to just be another Street Racer, Dom takes him under his wing and introduces him proper to the world of Street Racing. Brian takes the opportunity to scope out the potential suspects, especially an Asian gang led by Johnny Tran (played by Rick Yune) who fit the profile nicely with stockpiled electronics and tendency to ride around on motorcycles firing Uzis. But what Brian doesn't consider is that the real culprits might just be Dom and his friends, in part because he has the hots for Dom's sister, Mia (played by Jordana Brewster).  

Upon revisiting the original film, I struck how in comparison to what would come after this one, the original The Fast and the Furious is almost quaint in comparison. Don't get me wrong, it has it's fair share of action sequences, great stunts and some great car chases but at the same time it feels almost restrained. The film solidly has it's place in the early aughts Action film pantheon, clearly taking cues from the works of Michael Bay and Tony Scott, with it's orange tinged, quick edits, techno and hip hop infused soundtrack sensibility, but within a PG-13 framework. The film was a big hit with teen audiences and made bona fide stars out of both Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. 

This film is a humble beginning to what would become one of the unlikeliest action movie franchises ever. Still, there is a certain charm to it. Yes, the film is a pretty shameless rip off of Point Break, but I can't hold that against it because it twists the formula a little, giving Dom a little more heart and a little more character behind the dripping machismo and that's the key to what would come after with his character, and also in a way what made the movie work. His bromance of sorts with Brian would form the backbone of the latter installments (Vin more or less sat out the second and third films), but also helps this one stand out a little more. It knows it's an action movie directed at people who love fast cars and wild stunts and plays directly to that. It's a goal that has and will likely continue to serve this series well.