Review of Fast & Furious (2009) by Thomas D — 10 Apr 2017

With a few meandering and unproductive features, 'Fast & Furious' takes the series to new grounds. Bringing back familiar faces but finally implementing some much needed emotional depth, the fourth installment was the best of the franchise to that date.

Back after a short hiatus are Vin Diesel and Paul Walker playing Dom Toretto and Brian O'Connor respectively. Not that the previous two films were entirely pointless, but Dom and Brian are the heart of the films. Without them, you don't get the same feeling of family and meaningful relationships. 'Fast & Furious' may not feature the high-octane stunts and action that its successors do, but it brought the series back to being about family, and particularly the drama that sometimes goes on between family.

O'Connor is miraculously back to being an FBI agent after betraying their trust multiple times in the past, but with this series that type of stuff doesn't matter. Toretto is on the run once again since he went missing following the events of the first film. As ridiculous as it is to see Brian once again after Dom, I feel like it was the one last obstacle these two needed before they gained back each other's trust. Once they do, the film takes off. I love all the tension between Brian, Dom, and Mia, especially knowing where all of them end up. But I also love watching the cast drive insanely fast cars at ridiculous speeds and wreck every bit of them. The fourth film still tries to tell a lame undercover racing/drug/crime story with its villain, but the rest of it is a hell of a ride.

The supporting cast includes the likes of Michelle Rodriguez, Gal Gadot, Sung Kang, Jordana Brewster, and John Ortiz. The latter plays the villainous Campos and probably has the most depth and/or personality out of any previous F&F antagonist. Rodriguez is back as Letty, who's death (being a central plotline to the film) is probably the most complicated and convoluted death I've ever seen from any franchise, and I'm still not sure I know exactly what happened.

Overall, Fast & Furious progressed the series back to its Toretto vs O'Connor roots, but managed to finally give us the balance of emotion and action that we've wanted. It also happens to be the film that set up what is now more of a heist franchise than it is full of big muscles and muscle cars.

+Dom & Brian.

+Finally balances emotion and action.

+Supporting cast is written and acted very well.

-Letty's death & Brian's time with the FBI is still puzzling.

8.2/10.