Without the assistance of a fugitive on the run Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel, who is AWOL here), Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) who's still a marked man with the FBI leaves Los Angeles and travels around the USA to compete in drag races and making new friends along the way as well as a substantial amount of money. It wasn't before long that the cops found his car and now he has to travels by foot. Until a lady drops him off at a car lot and his money he purchases a blue car and paints it silver. O'Connor ventures off to Miami where he reunites with ex-con Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) as they join forces with the FBI to track down a shady dealer named Carter Verone (Cole Hauser), but only in exchange if they erase his criminal records. They are also joined by Secret Agent Monica Fuentes to bring this sleazy miscreant to justice.
Unlike a lot of sequels where they don't measure up to the first instalments "2 Fast 2 Furious" succeeds in equalling up to the first instalment to maybe even being better (even without Vin Diesel). This movie like the first film is loaded with all the usual formulaic by-the-numbers mixed bag of clichés like the token slimy gangster and his dim-witted gang of goons, corrupt cops, by-the-book FBI agent and his determined sidekick and whatnot. But people who see this movie aren't here to see that. Hell no! We've come to see exciting drag races, cars crashing into each other, fight scenes, over-the-top humour (not Shakespaere), epic fights and most of all cool cars and hot girls.
With Vin Diesel out of the picture, Paul Walker takes the central role as Brian O'Connor an former LAPD on the run and locating himself in Miami to capture a sleazy dealer in exchange that for his criminal charges to be eradicated. And he turns in a wonderful performance, even though it just feels at time forced, but in a funny way. Why funny? Because he just seems a bit to old to be talking like the way he does. His dialogue makes him sound like an adolescent who's been living in the basement of an LA public school and has picked up on their lingo. Roman Pearce (Gibson) is O'Connor's sidekick is no Dominic Toretto is still a capable replacement and has just as much charisma to pull it off.
This movie is no different than the Land of Make Believe. It doesn't exist. It's all surreal. It's the threshold where the bad-assed dudes hang out, where drag racing is a pastime and not an illegality. Where the ladies let it loose and enjoy every moment of it. This utopia has our two heroes who constantly bicker like two teens arguing over who's pizza slice is bigger. In a world like this, there are no real good guys, and the badder you are, the greater your odds at survivor are in your favour. In action films this has been a common trend since Jason Statham starring in "The Transporter" as he played a hero who was a lackey for the underworld. These days, being a cookie-cutter hero is obsolete, it's a fight between bad guys and even more bad guys. O'Connor and Pearce confiscate drug money, but they take it before the cops grab their hands on the dough. It makes you wondering if the producers know who's coming to see this film or maybe not. It may feel at times like they're glorifying the audience watching it giving the impression those watching it are dumber than rocks.
But once the smoke is cleared the real stars are the awesome cars. They grind, they release steam and most of all, they make a lot of noise that it's not too late to purchase some earplugs. The opening drag race will likely have your heart beating faster than a thousand bees in a hive. Vin Diesel was not the only one who departed as Rob Cohen took an exodus as John Singleton took over the director's chair which is quite surprising since Singleton back in 1991 directed the ever so powerful drama "Boyz in the Hood". What happened? I guess under a more competent director should come to no fluke that this film is 5x better than the first instalment.
We know that the target audience was intended for the teen male audience between the ages of 15-20 years old. Their girlfriends knew what was coming to them when they joined them in this atmosphere and quite frankly, we never outgrow these kind of movies. Fast cars, exciting action and hot babes, what more do you need?
Unlike a lot of sequels where they don't measure up to the first instalments "2 Fast 2 Furious" succeeds in equalling up to the first instalment to maybe even being better (even without Vin Diesel). This movie like the first film is loaded with all the usual formulaic by-the-numbers mixed bag of clichés like the token slimy gangster and his dim-witted gang of goons, corrupt cops, by-the-book FBI agent and his determined sidekick and whatnot. But people who see this movie aren't here to see that. Hell no! We've come to see exciting drag races, cars crashing into each other, fight scenes, over-the-top humour (not Shakespaere), epic fights and most of all cool cars and hot girls.
With Vin Diesel out of the picture, Paul Walker takes the central role as Brian O'Connor an former LAPD on the run and locating himself in Miami to capture a sleazy dealer in exchange that for his criminal charges to be eradicated. And he turns in a wonderful performance, even though it just feels at time forced, but in a funny way. Why funny? Because he just seems a bit to old to be talking like the way he does. His dialogue makes him sound like an adolescent who's been living in the basement of an LA public school and has picked up on their lingo. Roman Pearce (Gibson) is O'Connor's sidekick is no Dominic Toretto is still a capable replacement and has just as much charisma to pull it off.
This movie is no different than the Land of Make Believe. It doesn't exist. It's all surreal. It's the threshold where the bad-assed dudes hang out, where drag racing is a pastime and not an illegality. Where the ladies let it loose and enjoy every moment of it. This utopia has our two heroes who constantly bicker like two teens arguing over who's pizza slice is bigger. In a world like this, there are no real good guys, and the badder you are, the greater your odds at survivor are in your favour. In action films this has been a common trend since Jason Statham starring in "The Transporter" as he played a hero who was a lackey for the underworld. These days, being a cookie-cutter hero is obsolete, it's a fight between bad guys and even more bad guys. O'Connor and Pearce confiscate drug money, but they take it before the cops grab their hands on the dough. It makes you wondering if the producers know who's coming to see this film or maybe not. It may feel at times like they're glorifying the audience watching it giving the impression those watching it are dumber than rocks.
But once the smoke is cleared the real stars are the awesome cars. They grind, they release steam and most of all, they make a lot of noise that it's not too late to purchase some earplugs. The opening drag race will likely have your heart beating faster than a thousand bees in a hive. Vin Diesel was not the only one who departed as Rob Cohen took an exodus as John Singleton took over the director's chair which is quite surprising since Singleton back in 1991 directed the ever so powerful drama "Boyz in the Hood". What happened? I guess under a more competent director should come to no fluke that this film is 5x better than the first instalment.
We know that the target audience was intended for the teen male audience between the ages of 15-20 years old. Their girlfriends knew what was coming to them when they joined them in this atmosphere and quite frankly, we never outgrow these kind of movies. Fast cars, exciting action and hot babes, what more do you need?