Movie Review : Fast & Furious

Author: Izarrudin
Category: Movies
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Wednesday
Apr 8,2009

The fourth installment of the adrenaline-fueled franchise built on speed reunites the four original characters for the first time in eight years as they head back to the streets of Los Angeles where the racing action began. The abbreviated title has dropped the “the” in front of the two adjectives so as not to be confused with the original 2001 movie.

Vin Diesel (“The Pacifier” and “XXX”) reprises his signature role of ex-con fugitive Dominic Toretto. Paul Walker (“Eight Below”) plays former LAPD cop and undercover FBI agent Brian O’Conner. The strong-willed and resilient female roles are occupied by Dom’s girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez from “Lost”) and Dom’s sister/ Brian’s former love interest Mia (Jordana Brewster from “Annapolis” and “Chuck”).

An explosion-filled opening that involves an elaborate heist of a bunch of oil tankers takes place against the backdrop of the tropical heat of the Dominican Republic. When Dom learns of the tragic death of someone he loves from his sister Mia, he enters the United States unnoticed by the authorities. After the funeral, he visits the crash site where he discovers clues to the possible murderer. His bloodthirsty revenge motive is tied to a drug kingpin who is looking for a new recruit on his racing team that moves high-grade heroin across the border from Mexico through tunnels carved into caves. Dom and Brian’s paths cross and they compete in a crazy GPS-enhanced race through the busy streets of L.A.’s Koreatown for a coveted position that will give the winner unlimited access to the criminal drug cartel.

Director Justin Lin (“Tokyo Drift”) and screenwriter Chris Morgan (“Wanted” and “Tokyo Drift”) stick to the winning formula of high-speed action and blistering daredevil stunts. The movie has a more serious vibe than the previous chapters with only a few sporadic bursts of humor. The eye candy is provided by the party scenes with hundreds of gorgeous women wearing skimpy outfits. Composer Brian Tyler (“Eagle Eye” and “Constantine”) adds to the mix the pulsating rhythms of Latin-influenced reggaeton music that melds Jamaican dancehall, reggae and hip-hop.

The movie embraces the rivalry between the baddest muscle vehicles and the sexiest imports tuned to perfection. Gearheads will be impressed to the point of drooling over the impressive arsenal of cars that push the limits of speed and endurance.

Dom favors muscle cars and his rides include: 1970 Dodge Charger (revived from the original 2001 film); 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle; 1973 Chevy F-Bomb Camaro; and 1987 Buick Grand National GNX. Brian’s preference is for foreign models and he drives a 1998 Nissan Skyline GTR and a 2009 Subaru WRX STI. The who’s who of coveted cars that appear in the film and the lingo of what’s under the hood should satisfy a variety of tastes.

The bald-headed Diesel looking extremely fit walks around looking tough. He is a thinking man’s thug with a moral code for living and seeking vengeance. The mutual respect and camaraderie between Diesel and Walker’s characters yields a scintillating chemistry on screen.

This popcorn flick satisfies the vicarious need for speed and pushes the pedal to the metal. The exhilarating action consisting of high-octane chases, exciting road races, fistfights and gunplay makes up for the deficiencies of the weak script, soap opera acting and lame dialogue. You can’t help but admire the body work of the cars and the dames. Recommended.

credits: EntertainmentSpectrum | Yahoo! Movies Singapore

Official Movie Poster
Movie Review : Fast & Furious

Singapore Date: 9th April 2009
Language: English
Running Time: 106 mins
Rating: PG
Genre: Action
Tagline: New Model. Original Parts.
Starring: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez
Directed by: Justin Lin
Company: Relativity Media, Universal Pictures
Singapore Distributor: United International Pictures
iZone Rating:

7/10

Official Website :
Fast & Furious

Movie Trailer