Fast and Furious

Fast and Furious – 2009

**½ Out of ****

The fourth instalment of the highly popular car racing franchise boats the slogan "new model, original parts" and reuniting the entire ensemble cast made famous by the original The Fast and the Furious back in 2001 is director Justin Lin, who directed the third instalment as well.  He clearly sought to plug holes made by the absence of Vin Diesel in 2 fast 2 Furious and both Diesel and Paul Walker for Tokyo Drift but regardless if the parts are all shiny new or well worn, if you put them in upside down you're not going anywhere. 

Fast and Furious is just that; a movie that has everything going for it but just never seems whole.  The actors seem bored, the story despite the introduction of new cars and locations feels retreaded and the whole experience is hum drum and plodding even as the energy level shifts to high gear.  Surprisingly the best thing about this movie is Walker who successfully brings his character back to funny, badass form.  Diesel is sufficiently cool and hulking but with a story that could allow him to actually act, and where he clearly chooses not too, the results are more disappointing.  

Watching F & F on the big screen I was mostly entertained by the whizzing cars, sexy ladies and handfuls of dry humour but a film can only survive on fumes for so long and as the car chases become undistinguishable (most notably a series of bland races through a mountain tunnel) and some awkwardly goofy, video game-esque portions I can barely bring myself to recall the entire movie writing this review. It’s just hugely disposable and forgettable; a drunken Saturday night movie. 

As I said, everyone is back in the game.  Diesel as Dominic Toretto returns to the U.S. after a stint of hiding out south of the border, with his tomboy girl, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) also swirling around the events of the film, but largely in a smaller supporting role.  Having made some unwanted enemies, Diesel once again becomes tangled with Agent Brain O’Conner (Walker) and sister/O'Conner's old flame, Mia (Jordana Brewster) as the FBI wants Diesel caught, and his ex-associates brought to justice. The story is actually needlessly complex with far too many twists, subplots, betrayals and flashbacks. But cars go fast...what more do you really need to know? 

Even with bringing back everything that made the original a hit for another round, this franchise is dead. There are only so many things you can do to make a movie about car racing original and substantial enough to be watchable and while fast and Furious provides a nice enough outlet to sweat some testosterone, you will likely have more fun on the drive to Grandma's house.