Diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of the right lung on my 58th birthday (14th July) So not really ...
Diagnosed with an aggressive cancer of the right lung on my 58th birthday (14th July) So not really in the humour for writing much at the moment, although I *WILL* be back before too long...Ken
Member since:06.12.2000
Reviews:678
Members who trust:869
~ ~ The original “The Fast and the Furious” (2001) was the movie that really brought Vin Diesel to prominence in the movie world. No doubt the producers and director (John Singleton) of this sequel tried very hard to capture the services of Hollywood’s new action hero for “2 Fast 2 Furious”, but even Van Diesel had the good sense to avoid this follow-up movie like an outbreak of the bubonic plague! Either that, or they didn’t offer him enough spondoolicks (money).
~ ~ The original The Fast and the Furious, while never in line to win any Oscars, was at least entertaining, and a success both at the box office and in the video shops. So I suppose that it was almost inevitable that the money men who seem to run Hollywood these days would find it very hard to resist cashing in on the money gravy train. As you watch this movie, it quickly becomes very obvious that this film is more about milking the money out of the pockets of the cinema-going public than with making a credible follow-up to the original movie.
~ ~ Vin Diesel’s co-star in The Fast and the Furious, Paul Walker,
makes a comeback as Brian O’Connor, the undercover cop who infiltrated the highly illegal world of street racing to bust a crime syndicate, and ended up loving the buzz. Walker may be an able enough actor, (I did say “may be”) but he can’t hold a candle to Vin Diesel in the charisma stakes, and the movie suffers badly as a consequence. Rap artist and sometime male model Tyrese replaces Vin Diesel as O’Connor’s sidekick Roman Pearce, but has all the screen presence and charm of Bugs Bunny, (a lot less, actually) and fails to make any sort of impact. That the producers thought it necessary to give top billing to the clean cut, blue-eyed Walker speaks volumes for Tyrese’s acting ability. (or should I say lack of it) The director of the original movie, Rob Cohen, used Vin Diesel’s magnetism and a highly imaginative series of spectacular stunts and fast-moving action sequences to turn a B-budget movie into a surprising blockbuster. The new director, John Singleton, appears to be lacking even the basics when it comes to directing an action movie and he fails to capture the adrenaline-pumping thrills, which made the original movie such a success.
~ ~ Plots never seem to be the strong point of this type of action movie, and if the action sequences are good enough, then this never appears to be too much of an impediment to their box office success. But the dubious and uninspiring plot in this lemon of a movie must surely hit a new all-time low. Brian O’Connor (Walker) has given up the day job (police work) and taken up street racing as a full time profession, hustling his way around the streets of Miami and earning himself a pretty penny in the process. His ex-colleagues (the cops) nab him in the act after an illegal street race ends in disaster, and coerce him into helping them get the goods on a nasty Argentinean drug lord called Veron (Cole Hauser). It’s here that the plot gets totally ridiculous. Veron uses street racers to ferry his illegal drugs around the city. O’Connor, along with his sidekick Roman and a sassy female undercover agent, Monica, (Eva Mendes) are instructed to infiltrate the drug ring. Quite why a drug baron would consider using high profile street racers, who are highly likely to attract undue attention from the cops, to cart around his illicit pharmaceuticals is never really explained. (Surely he would be better using the local bus service, or even hard-up taxi drivers! Heh, heh.) The two likely lads look for an opening to bring down the drug empire, with O’Connor and Monica supplying the “love interest” along the way. Of course, Veron, showing a lot more perception than in his choice of transport, becomes suspicious that the FBI has somehow managed to infiltrate his gang. That’s it; the plot in a nutshell. Not too original or inspiring, is it?
~ ~ We only watched this movie because we couldn’t get into the preview of the new “Charlie’s Angels” film. But my advice is to do yourself (and your brain) a big favour, and avoid this third rate film at all costs. At best, it will be a DVD to while away a cold, rainy, boring evening in the middle of the winter. But on second thoughts, you’d probably be better of getting cold and soaked by taking the dog for a walk! Definitely not recommended by the “mad cabbie”.
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Main Cast List
Paul Walker ...Brian O'Conner Tyrese ...Roman Pearce Eva Mendes ...Monica Fuentes Cole Hauser ...Carter Verone Ludacris ...Tej
Action/Adventure - Director: The Wachowski Brothers - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Monica Bellucci, Jada Pinkett
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Action/Adventure - Director: Peter Jackson - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Andy Serkis
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
This category is for the box set of the first and second films
sarahbooke 25.04.2005 13:35
So disappointed with this film. Really enjoyed the first one
Great review
markd_uk 02.12.2004 00:48
Literally just finished watching this film and while I didn't think it was quite as bad as maybe you did (I did rather enjoy it in a 'nothing better to watch' manner) I do agree that it's pretty rubbish in the grand scheme of things. Mind you, I thought the first one was a load of old tosh, too!
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drifthas all the elements that spelled success for its ... more
predecessors: Speed, sex, and minimal dialogue. The plot doesn't need explication; it's a nonsensical series of confrontations and standoffs that serve to get us fro...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Supercharged street-racing action exploding onto the streets of Miami incredible cars ... more
driven to the edge. Beautiful girls and a lifestyle to die for.. It's 2 Fast 2 Furious Academy Award nominated Director John Singleton (Boyz N Da Hood) brings you the...
![2 Fast 2 Furious [DVD] [2003]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/86628732.jpg "2 Fast 2 Furious [DVD] [2003]")
![The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2 disc) [DVD] [2006]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78370865.jpg "The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift (2 disc) [DVD] [2006]")
Jul 7th, 2003
very helpful by (97%):
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![The Fast and the Furious/2 Fast 2 Furious [DVD]](http://images.ciao.com/ide/images/icons/no_pic_generic_S1.gif){kind=icon}
