Review: "The Fast and the Furious" (2001)

I found this picture to be hilarious.

Saw this film originally in the theaters, and it has been one of my favorite car films in memory, so I decided to give it another go. The film still pleases me, in areas separate from great cinema. There aren't very many films that capture a culture consumed in the auto world at all. This one is a good one for what it appears to try and achieve. I don't believe the director set out with the goal of 'Best Picture', which should be the goal of more directors in Hollywood than actually exist. There is a sense, a large sense of pushing products as advertisements in the film. From the cars themselves, to brand name equipment.

The biggest problem with the film is just about every action sequence. They obviously sacrifice much to wow the audience with obvious flaws. From a car sliding under the trailer of a big rig, to the whizzing effects outside of the car windows. Every scene where a car goes airborne is bad. But, at the end of the day, they weren't horrible enough to have me consider slicing at the film with too harsh of words.

The acting is at the 'B' level, where everything about this film rests. Paul Walker is as much an over-actor as anyone, with a few good scenes. He isn't an actor that can carry a single scene on his own yet. For that, the film relies on Vin Diesel. Vin Diesel's role on the film is easier to carry scenes on his own. They place him in a dark corner and turn up the hard-rock music and we believe he is a mysterious tough guy. No matter what lighting or music you use, Paul Walker is just as bad as his worst scenes, all equally unbelievable. Would have been more conceivable for him to be a cop if he knew just how to hold a gun, but in the film he holds it like he wants to have a squirt-gun contest. Vin Diesel pretty much is everything they ask him to be. He says little, looks big, portraying tough, and uncaring about life. I don't mind his performance in the film, but at the same time much isn't asked. His rage is finely played out, and rage isn't something I often see in film and really feel is authentic. The other cast members are just about all the same, 'C' level. They do their job with low expectations, and clock out. If the actors ever looked horrendous, I wouldn't blame them necessarily, because the dialogue was some of the worst I've heard.

The score of the film was... fine I guess. Not preferred but, it was trying to deliver a hip-hop influenced culture, so the music fit the film. It would still be nice to see a film about a similar culture shot in a serious award winning style with a great original score, but till then, we have this... what do you expect out of a movie with this title?

I believe there to be a nice sized group of people that exist in the U.S. which consider themselves to be fans of the automobile, and particularly ones that move at high rates of speed, and maybe even participate in illegal activity. It is sad to think that we are stuck with this film, Nicolas Cage's "Gone In 60 Seconds", and "Star Wars Episode 1" (podraces). Thats it. Thats all we got. Every other genre seems to have its epic film, but this one is still absent.

The story of the film is a bit easy. I would prefer something a bit more complex, more dramatic, just more creative. But at the end of the day it has cars that go fast for a purpose, says the film.

I also think this film has taken a hit for all the sequels. You scratch off those other films from existence and people might not be as harsh about this one. Maybe I'm wrong. I wouldn't ever say this film is a must see, but if you love cars, fast ones, you don't have many options.

"Fast and the Furious"

6 / 10