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What can I say? Sometimes you're just in the mood for a testosterone laden adrenaline overload, and Fast hits the spot pretty well. I was in just such a mood when I saw this at the Century City AMC last summer, and apparently a lot of other folks were, too, since it went on to become perhaps the surprise hit of the summer season (then again, with dreck like The Mummy Returns, Tomb Raider, and The Planet of the Apes holding down the so-called "event movie" slots, it's not like there wasn't an opening for something just a little bit different).
Fast is essentially a remake of Point Break, with street racers in the place of surfboards. I never cared for Point Break all that much, so somewhat surprisingly, I found The Fast and the Furious to be entertaining fun. Watching it again on video with my family, it's even more evident the second time through that this is a movie that abhors nuance. It doesn't have a subtle bone in it's body. Painted in broad strokes, it's all about fast cars, hot babes, male bonding, divided loyalties, and above all, speed, speed, speed. As one of the characters says, "I live my life a quarter-mile at a time," and that's pretty much the movie's motto.
Plot? Well, if you've seen Point Break, you know the plot already, but suffice to say it deals with the sub-culture of illegal street racing, and the lengths one tight little clique goes to finance those souped-up and highly modified cars they're driving around. Paul Walker is basically a Keanu clone, and he does an adequate job--he may even have an expression or two more in his repetoire than Mr. Whoooah! himself. I much prefer Vin Diesel to Patrick Swayze; I think Diesel is more than just an (impressively cut) hunk of beef, he has a real presence and charisma. I liked him in Pitch Black, and I look forward to seeing what he does in the future.
If you don't care for fast cars, tough guys, and simple emotions, I'd say bail on this one. In fact, I only care for the above in intermittent and limited doses, myself. But every once in awhile....
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