Director: Justin Lin
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Gal Gadot, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham, Sung Kang, Tego Calderon, Don Omar, Laz Alonso.
This is the central piece that properly restarts the franchise after 2 Fast 2 Furious and Tokyo Drift, laying a good foundation for what is to follow and linking the third film. The opening sequence instantly reminding you of the first film, going back to basics and also sets the precedent of the improbable level the action there is going to be.
Justin Lin returns for his second ride at the steering wheel giving us some really refreshing action. Especially the fight choreography having some much needed improvements and actually showing what Walker and Diesel are capable of. Though it mimics 2's storyline to a degree, with Dom and Brian competing for favour of a elusive drug lord by, yes, you know. Street racing.
Letty is murdered and Dom returns home to seek revenge, Brian is looking for the same guy which means both are inevitably going to crash into one another with sister Mia acting as mediator. All roads leads to cartel drug lord, Braga, and both try to find their own way to reach the man supposedly responsible for Letty's death.
The film moves ultra fast but does allow for Dom and Brian's relationship to grow and slowly return to the bromance we remember from the first. This really is a new beginning for the fast familia. It also brings certain characters together, namely Han and introducing Gal Gadot's Gisele, Wonder Woman's big screen debut. And let's not forget not one, but two Reggaeton performers among the cast.
Don Omar and Tego Calderon make a funny pair that are like the Laurel and Hardy of the franchise. Don Omar and Tego's songs "Conteo" and "Bandoleros" feature on Tokyo Drift's soundtrack. However, this film has one of worse soundtracks of the previous films lacking any great tracks that won't likely be remembered or recognised. Even with tracks from Buster Rhymes, Pitbull and Don Omar, who incidentally also stars in this film, none of them really giving the film an anthem like the previous movies. Though Tyler returns with his score, a score he impressively composed in just three days due to Universal bringing the release date forward.
Fans had been demanding for another Fast film and at this stage, this and another film was penned, Diesel wanting to make 4 and 5 back to back but Universal declined, waiting to see the result of this, which was the highest grossing Fast film to date raking in more than $72million at its opening weekend, Universal's highest grossing weekend at the time.
As one of the movie taglines states "new model, original parts" it certainly echoes the first movie reuniting the key cast of characters but with a fresh story arc to set up for what's to be one of Hollywood's, if not the, most lucrative series it's produced.
Up next: Fast Five
Running Time: 8
The Cast: 9
Performance: 7
Direction: 8
Story: 7
Script: 6
Creativity: 7
Soundtrack: 4
Job Description: 8
The Extra Bonus Point: 0
Would I buy the Blu-ray?: Already do.
64% 6/10
