"The Fast and the Furious" - Start Your Engines! by Homer Yen (c) 2001
Guys, here's a movie especially for you. And if you're still simmering over the fact that you were forced to accompany your girlfriend to the endlessly sad "English Patient" or some other unrelenting tearjerker, here's a chance for you to exact some payback.
"The Fast and the Furious" is a movie that is fueled with adrenaline and testosterone. The men brim with bravado and hubris, the women are beautiful and tough, the soundtrack blares hard alternative rock music, the supercharged cars are hot, and the racing sequences are, well...fast and furious. It's racing sequences are so intense that after you leave the theatre, you'll be tempted to drive 90 MPH out of the parking lot, fit your engine with nitrous oxide boosters, and then race against an oncoming locomotive through a railroad crossing.
The plot revolves around the efforts of agent Brian (Paul Walker) and the FBI to crack a brazen, truck-hijacking ring. These taut hijacking sequences feature gang members that execute precision driving techniques to surround and board an 18-wheeler at highway speeds. We feel an innate thrill as we watch these stunts.
Investigators feel that the mastermind is Dom (Vin Diesel), an intimidating and streetwise racer who advises his disciples, "It don't matter whether you win by an inch or a mile - winning's winning." Currently, there isn't sufficient evidence to make any arrests, and the ringleader could be anyone within the racing underworld, including Dom's nemesis, Johnny Tran (Rick Yune) who commands an Asian gang with whom he competes for turf, respect, and cars.
The police story, however, takes a backseat to a more interesting facet: the street racing subculture predicated on speed and brotherhood. One particular scene, a wild street race between Dom and three competitors, ably encapsulates the allure of being involved with this dangerous activity. Within this population of car enthusiasts, having a souped-up machine commands respect from your peers and the attraction of girls. But, as one racer notes, "it's not how you stand by your car, it's how you race your car."
Dozens of cars then converge on to an ad hoc strip of road somewhere in the outskirts of Los Angeles. Cars line its sides to prevent non-racers from entering the course. We see the racial cliques that root for their particular driver as they compete for cash and pink slips. A follower listens to the police scanner and barks out status reports. And when the police finally come, the multitude of cars scatter like cockroaches away from light.
While the story holds our attention, it's the racing sequences that provide the most thrills. These scenes are edited seamlessly and allow us to embrace the feel of incredibly high speeds and the rush from street racing's inherent dangers. A botched attempt to hijack an 18-wheeler and an edge-of-your-seat race against a freight train were especially riveting. Sit down and buckle up. It's going to be a wild ride.
Grade: B+ for guys; C for girls
S: 1 out of 3 L: 1 out of 3 V: 2 out of 3
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