Cast Reunites for ‘Furious’ Fourth Film

originally written for The Emory Wheel: Entertainment (www.emorywheel.com)

2 April, 2009

Dominican Republic, 2009: A five-car oil tanker is on an open highway with Dom Toretto close behind, smiling behind the wheel of a 10-speed.

With fast cars, big heists, huge explosions and a clever story line, “Fast & Furious” is a solid sequel that will please new viewers as well as die-hard fans of the franchise.

The film marks Vin Diesel’s (“The Chronicles of Riddick”) return as Dom, who heads back to Los Angeles to solve the mystery behind his close friend’s murder. Along the way he runs into Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker, “Eight Below”), the LAPD agent who tricked Dom in the first film, and who then helped him escape. Brian is now an FBI agent assigned to the same case Dom is trying to solve. The two reluctantly begin working together, and what follows is a high-octane ride as the two men put aside their differences to fight a common enemy.

Despite being the franchise’s fourth installment, “Fast & Furious” offers a fresh twist on a seemingly tired action series. The plot line, though not the most riveting piece of writing, is interesting enough to keep audiences absorbed. Scenes set in the FBI headquarters are intelligently juxtaposed with street racing scenes. This intriguing structure allows the audience to view the film as not just an action movie, but a murder mystery as well.

Still, the film’s action is definitely an achievement. “Fast & Furious” is filled with well-crafted scenes that keep your blood racing as fast as Dom’s car. Rather than the repetitive, nonsensical action sequences typical of other films in the genre, each of the movie’s action-heavy scenes is unique, with different obstacles like massive oil trucks and underground tunnels.

Walker manages to hold his own as Brian for the third time. Having him play a full-time FBI agent gives the audience a chance to see the character in a different setting. Before, Walker was mainly seen behind the wheel of a car or undercover on the streets but his role in the latest film showcases a different side of his personality, one replete with quirky moments that will keep audiences laughing.

Diesel’s character, however, feels a bit contrived at times. He repeats the same pensive stares and angry outbursts multiple times throughout the movie. The character doesn’t seem to change much and, although the script calls for a stronger performance from the actor than he provided in the first film, Diesel doesn’t fully deliver.

Director Justin Lin withholds the first confrontation between Walker and Diesel until about halfway through the movie, which amps up the excitement level when the characters finally meet.

The reunion of the original cast is dynamic and, like a call to an old friend from high school, leads to many trips down memory lane. Dom and Brian race each other and team up again, which makes the film feel, as Dom says, “just like old times.”

Overall, “Fast & Furious” manages to overcome a few poorly acted serious scenes and delivers a film that is far faster and a hell of a lot more furious than the series’ last two installments.