The Fast and the Furious - Review

Everyone loves how over the top and crazy the new fast and furious films are. Although I do admit that I am a sucker for awesome visuals and stunts, I would still say that I prefer the original entry over the newer films.

Right off the bat, I haven't seen Point Break so I won't be making any comparisons between the two of them like every other critic on the internet. This film was written by David Ayer, who just happens to be one of my favourite writers in Hollywood and you can really see his style here. With a story about an undercover cop in the gritty streets of Los Angeles, this is right in Ayer's wheelhouse. Visiting LA around the time when Trump was elected, I can safely say that LA feels much more like this than the LA you'd see in shows like Entourage, (However, I didn't see any drag races).

Unlike the newer films, I can actually see the characters driving the plot of the film (No pun intended). Their motivations, their strengths, and weaknesses make the action scenes actually worthy of investment. This is a movie about two friends on the opposite side of the law that just happens to have fast, modded cars in it. The new movies are about explosions and extreme stunts that happen to have a plot with it.

See what I'm trying to say? The first film feels like it put story first. Now, is this story incredibly deep and moving? Absolutely not. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the acting in this film isn't the greatest. However, this film acts as a time capsule to the early 2000's. Like, I'm telling you guys, this film is dated. From the music that sounds like it should be in a Need For Speed game for the PlayStation 2, to the outfits people wear to the tech the characters use, it's so dated, it's kind of wonderful. I remember playing Need For Speed games as a kid and this film takes me back to a time where all this stuff was popular. For those reasons, I really enjoyed this movie. Is it for the wrong reasons? Probably. If fast cars and the early 2000's interest you, or if you are just curious to see where this franchise began, give it a shot.