Love it or hate it, the Fast and Furious franchise is back yet again for a fourth installment, and this time we see all the stars of the original returning to reprise their roles (hence the clever tagline, ‘New Model, Original Parts’). Taking place between 2Fast2Furious and Tokyo Drift, the movie is simply titled, ‘Fast & Furious’. Once again we Malaysians get an inaptly added digit (4) to the title, but let’s not delve too much into that.
Taking place approximately five years after The Fast and the Furious, the movie opens with ex-con fugitive Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his gang attempting to hijack a massive road train in the Dominican Republic. Dominic is joined by his trusty tough-as-nails (and uber-hawt!) girlfriend Leticia “Letty” Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez). What follows should please action fans, with an adrenalin-pumping explosive action sequence, arguably the best in the movie. Director Justin Lin has certainly outdone himself this time. As the police start getting dangerously close, Dominic starts going solo to protect those he cares for, but later receives a call from his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) regarding a murder of someone dear to him. Information leads to a drug kingpin named Arturo Braga. Dominic is not one to be messed with, especially when those he cares for are involved.
We are also introduced once again to Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker), a former police officer who’s now an FBI agent hot on the trail of a notorious drug gang and their leader, which happens to be the same guy Dominic is after. Walker’s acting still leaves much to be desired, but is admittedly better than in previous installments. Despite their differences, Diesel and Walker have great onscreen chemistry and it’s fun seeing them together again. While the dialogue and plot of the story isn’t something to scream about, the franchise was never intended to be a Shakespearean piece. The main points here is the action and the cars, and these are delivered in droves. In fact, the movie is an absolute thrill-ride from front to back.
The special-effects are well-used, and while some CGi isn’t that convincing, they do not deprive you of the excitement and sense of speed. Perhaps the only gripe is that Brewster and (the totally hot & gorgeous) Rodriguez seemed rather under-used despite the hype of having them back in the game.
While the returning stars are causing a huge buzz, the cars are attractions in their own right. Car buffs should spot plenty of gems, including a Nissan Skyline GT-R, Subaru Impreza WRX STi, Ford Torino, Porsche Cayman and a BMW M5 among others. Even the 1970 Dodge Charger and Chevy Chevelle SS from the first movie make a thunderous appearance. Plenty of high-velocity action is guaranteed as there are no less than three different racing sequences throughout the film.
Those unfamiliar to the franchise need not worry; you can actually enjoy the movie even after missing the other installments. If you like nerve-breaking thrills and excitement, this is the movie for you. Story takes a slight backseat as fists and gearshifts do the talking. It should be noted however, that the experience is more fulfilling and even emotional if you have watched them all, as you’ll also relate to the characters better and understand the numerous inside jokes and references. This is a movie for action buffs and thrill-seekers, and of course fans of the franchise. Finally they made a movie that matches, if not tops the original.
PS: They DID do something that I can't forgive, but that'd be a spoiler...
4.5 out of 5 Stars
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