Review of Fast & Furious (2009) by Dyllan G — 27 Jul 2013

After the disappointment that is 'Tokyo Drift,' the 'Fast and the Furious' franchise is put back on track with 'Fast & Furious.' Set a few years after the original crew first banded together in the streets of LA over their love for high-speed, high-risk racing and highway robberies, 'Fast' recaptures the chemistry of Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster, which does a lot to set the movie up for success.

A mildly interesting plot (Brian and Dom bury their history and team up to nab a Mexican heroin dealer) is made even more interesting by the death of Letty early in the film. The rivalry between Brian and Dom is one of the main focal points of 'Fast,' but this is overshadowed by the shared enemy they have in Fenix (Laz Alonso).

While cars are still omnipresent throughout 'Fast,' they take somewhat of a back seat to the drama between those who drive them. Regardless, some of the most action-packed driving sequences in the entire franchise can be found in this film, especially those that take place in underground tunnels across the Mexican/American border.

Despite the heaviness of some aspects of the plot, there's always an underlying sense of camaraderie that lightens the mood. Due to all of these aspects and more, 'Fast & Furious' is one of the best of all six films in the franchise.