Review of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006) by Justin M — 19 May 2011

Third time isn't the charm in this installment in the drag racing series. It's a serious departure from the first two films--no Paul Walker or Vin Diesel, a different cast and setting, and a focus on a new style of street racing known as "drifting," where tricked out rides gracefully glide around tight corners and curves.

Justin Lin, best known before this for his acclaimed indie film 'Better Luck Tomorrow,' takes over directing duties and thoroughly sells out as he loses himself in the stylized race scenes and mundane melodrama.

Lucas Black is far from the most compelling actor to build your movie around and here, with his laughably thick Southern accent and one-note performace, he can't get us involved and hold our attention.

Bow Wow plays a hustling, connected local kid. The fact that this character is cast as an African-American is a real groaner. There are other actors and actresses in the movie, but none make an impression worth mentioning.

The first half-hour or so is intriguing, but things go bad soon after we arrive in Tokyo. The races can be fun and thrilling, but the drama and characters surrounding them can be deathly dull. Gone is the testosterone-fueled fun of watching Diesel take up screen space, of Walker calling folks "bro," the tongue-in-cheek cheesiness of it all.

even a brief cameo in the end can't bring the dose of dopey fun this installment sorely needs to fire on all cylinders.