Today’s quick review: Fast & Furious. After the death of a loved one, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), a legendary thief and street racer, returns to Los Angeles to seek revenge on the responsible party: Arturo Braga, a ruthless drug kingpin. There he reunites with Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), now an FBI agent hunting Braga, and they must put aside their troubled history to bring Braga to justice.
Fast & Furious is an action racing movie and the fourth installment in the Fast & Furious franchise. Fast & Furious picks up five years after the end of The Fast and the Furious and serves as the first proper sequel to the original film. Brian O’Conner has finagled his way back into law enforcement, while Dom Toretto and his gang are beginning to feel the heat of the law on their tail, driving Dom to leave his crew behind and venture out on his own.
In some ways, Fast & Furious is a return to roots for the franchise. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel lead once again, picking up their strained relationship where they left off. The film injects a bit more action into the old formula, with bigger stunts, more guns and explosives, and a more involved plot than the first film. But the core of the film is still car racing action coupled with two protagonists on opposite sides of the law.
Watch Fast & Furious if you are looking for an action movie with great stunts and a strong leading duo. Knowledge of the first film is recommended but not strictly necessary; the other two sequels have no bearing on the plot. Skip Fast & Furious if you disliked the previous films or dislike the action genre in general.
6.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 to 7.5 for layering extra action onto an already solid base.