Fast and Furious


"Maybe you're lying to yourself. Maybe you're not the good guy pretending to be the bad guy. Maybe you're the bad guy pretending to be the good guy. Did you ever think about that?"   - Mia


release year: 2009
genre: racing action
viewing setting: home Bluray 12/29/16

synopsis: When Dom's girlfriend is murdered, his revenge merges with Brian's FBI job to bring down a drug lord.

impressions: This one was fairly solid - simple plot, simple motives, and it reunited the two main characters from the first movie, plus Mia, sister of one and love interest of the other. There was the same old driving-fast problem (namely, that you can't do it and not get yourself hurt or killed at some point, not to mention all the innocent people who get in the way) and it seems to me that anyone caught racing at 120+ mph should be tried for attempted murder or murder, depending on whether they actually got anyone killed, but I digress. This one had another drug lord and of course plenty of crazy fast driving. It also had FBI agents who do stupid things like spring the trap early and ruin everything, causing the protagonists to have to work harder to get the bad guy, and then the FBI guys back out on their deals after they have the bad guy thanks to the protagonists' help.

acting: Paul Walker is almost an antihero here, working both sides of the law at times. Vin Diesel tries to do the right thing, but that typically keeps him on the criminal side of things. Jordana Brewster also returns as the sister of Dom and lover of Brian. Gal Gadot is an assistant to the drug lord. John Ortiz is said drug lord, who has some surprises up his sleeve. Laz Alonso is the main evil henchman. Shea Whigham is a jackass FBI agent.

final word: Good solid entry that brings back all the main characters from the original movie.

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