Diesel is 'Furious' Again

by Brett Parker

Vin Diesel returns to the franchise that launched his career with Fast & Furious and it’s a very good thing, because he really is the drawing force behind this whole franchise. His smoldering testosterone lit up The Fast and the Furious back in 2001 and the sequels have considerably suffered the loss of his presence (despite a cameo in Tokyo Drift). While other actors in the franchise play their parts as light fare, Diesel appears to bring deeper depths to his role; he acts as though this lightweight universe truly matters. What more can you ask for? In spite of all the flashy cars, Diesel has been the best part of the whole series and is certainly the best part of this sequel.

Diesel returns as Dominic Toretto, the car-racing thief hiding out from the law, running hustles wherever we can. As the film opens, he’s living out his days driving and thieving in the Dominican Republic until a personal tragedy leads him back home to America. I will not reveal the details of this tragedy, only to say that it causes Toretto to seek vengeance against a mysterious drug lord responsible for it. When Toretto discovers that his cartel is recruiting street racers to smuggle narcotics, he finds his opportunity. As he races his way towards revenge, he is surprised to discover that FBI Agent Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) is also trying to infiltrate the same drug cartel. In the first film, O’Conner was the undercover cop who tried to bring down Toretto’s criminal activity until he made an ambiguous decision to let him go free. Despite their past history, the pair decide to work together and support their mutual needs.

Of course that’s just the set-up, for fans of the series know that the plot is simply a clothesline for spectacular chase scenes that show off dazzling muscle cars and tough guy actors that throw around intimidation. This installment doesn’t disappoint and director Justin Lin (who directed the last F&F flick, Tokyo Drift) knows how to make the chase scenes vibrate and let the actors show off their outsized egos. If there’s one thing that dogs the entire franchise, it’s the fact that it borrows heavily from the action classic Point Break yet doesn’t achieve the same dramatic heights. Both films follow an undercover cop who infiltrates a ring of adrenaline junkies, becoming seduced by their outlaw lifestyle. Instead of supped-up street racing, Point Break revolved around the extreme sports of surfing and sky-diving. Point Break is one of the best action films I’ve ever seen, transcending its considerably absurd premise to a great economy of effective action. Even though both films have similar plot points, Point Break was always a more dangerous and infatuating work. The filmmakers and actors took the plot and the characters extremely serious and dramatic weight was brought to every aspect of the film. It also helped that the action sequences themselves were indeed awesome.

However, the latest Fast & Furious does make a considerable effort to reach such heights set by Point Break. The film goes to more dangerous depths than the franchise is used to and the script isn’t afraid to deal with the consequences of the character’s relationships. We’re presented with everything we’ve come to expect and enjoy of the franchise, yet the film surprisingly avoids redundancy. It’s not as predictable as you think. It’s a good-looking, well-acted venture that springs little surprises and creative developments, such as a tunnel race between the U.S.-Mexican border and a final chase scene that resembles Mad Max’s worst nightmare. It’s certainly not as great as Point Break and it doesn’t manage to surpass the first F&F, probably because I think it’s best to just show street racing as street racing, instead of tying it to a crime plot that plays like a cheesy Miami Vice episode.

The big draw of this sequel is the fact that the original cast is back together for the first time since the very first film. With his Americana good looks and golden boy charms, Paul Walker has always been a lightweight hero in the series, yet here he looks more temperamental and conflicted. He plays O’Conner like a man who’s been to hell and back and still marches on, a trait largely welcomed in this universe. One of the film’s biggest disappointments is bringing back Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez, the sexiest girls of the entire franchise, and giving them nothing to do. These girls overflow with genuine sass and sensuality, yet their screen time is bare bones. They pretty much could’ve stayed home this time out. A fun new character comes in the form of Fenix, a hotheaded henchman played by Laz Alonso. His outrageous appearance could make him a new Mr. T for the YouTube era, if his agent has a sense of humor.

I’ve always been a fan of Vin Diesel. His groggy voice and jacked exterior makes him a tough guy ringer and his endless supply of charisma and conflict make him a quintessential action hero. His physical traits and demeanor are almost too well-tailored for the action hero mold, bringing him dangerously close to self-parody (you’d have to assume that with a guy who names himself “Diesel”). Moviegoers have knocked him for some of his poor career choices, but most action stars have had similar missteps, some more fatal than others. Fast & Furious reminds us why Diesel became a big star in the first place. He doesn’t walk through plots but blasts genuine emotions into every nuance of his characters. I loved the scene where Diesel bravely confronts the hostile tough guy responsible for his personal tragedy. As he makes the bad guy realize what he’s done and who he’s messing with, Diesel exudes a mix of calm confidence and seething anger that is surprising in how real it feels. The bald guy is back…with a vengeance!

Deep down, I will always hold a small affection for this high octane franchise. The Fast and the Furious was released when I was a junior in high school and it quickly became an obsession among my classmates. If we each had the money, we all would’ve gone out and bought our own tricked-out Hondas. If ever there was a star in my generation who complimented the whole “men wanna be him, women wanna be with him” idea, it was Vin Diesel. The new Fast & Furious honors those memories of mine and delivers on the first film’s promise of a fun popcorn ride filled with style and attitude. Too bad the producers couldn't think up a more clever title.