Tonight's Movie: The Fast and the Furious (2001)

One of the movie series I've really enjoyed over the past decade is what's typically referred to as the Fast and Furious saga.

I first saw THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (2001) a decade ago and then caught up on all the films released to that point via DVD. I've seen all the more recent films theatrically, beginning with THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS (2017). 

Indeed, FAST 9: THE FAST SAGA (2021) is a special memory, one of the very first movies I saw in a theater in 2021, after 16 months of no moviegoing due to lockdowns.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of seeing THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS on a big screen for the first time thanks to a 25th anniversary screening at my local Cinemark Theatre.

Given that I only reviewed THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS very briefly back in 2016, as part of an action movie marathon, I thought I would return to it here in greater depth.

The movie concerns undercover cop Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker, EIGHT BELOW) who is working with the FBI to infiltrate the Los Angeles street racing scene. The goal: Finding suspects in a string of truck hijackings involving very fast cars.

O'Conner is a genuine fast car enthusiast, and as he becomes friends with ex-con Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), one of the suspects, he falls hard for Dom's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), so things become a bit complicated...

I really enjoyed going back to "where it all began" and revisiting this film. Those who have only seen the later films in the series may be surprised by this movie's relative simplicity, focused on Southern California street racing.

I'll add here that the evocative filming of the Greater L.A. area is one of this movie's greatest assets; I recognized even more locations this time around than I did on my first viewing.

Information on the movie's locations may be found here. I photographed the market called Toretto's in the film while on the TCM Locations Tour in 2014; it's seen at the left under its "offscreen" name.

Walker is a very appealing, even charming hero, and the chemistry he develops with both Diesel and Brewster is one of a number of things which makes the series special.

It does seem worth noting, given Paul Walker's very sad death in a 2013 accident, there inevitably remains a certain element of discomfort watching his fast driving in this and the other films; it can't help but be a reminder, though I think the series made very good decisions on how to handle his loss in the later movies.

Without saying too much, a family member then working in Hollywood was impacted by Walker's passing, fielding unexpected, shocking media calls at our home the Thanksgiving weekend he died, so I was coincidentally among the first to learn the upsetting news of his death and thinking about it will always hit hard.

Back to the film, it does kind of strike the viewer, as the movie goes on, that we're rooting for "bad guys," as Dom, his girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), and others in his circle are indeed the hijackers. (This is clear early on and not a spoiler.) And indeed, Brian starts rooting for them too.

That said, this movie is only the first chapter in a long-running story which isn't yet complete, and as the movies gradually segue into what might be termed superhero films, the anti-hero characters evolve and redeem themselves fighting for justice.

The core of goodness has perhaps been there all along; it will always amuse me that Dom is a thief who nonetheless insists that his family and friends say grace before meals, one of the nice ongoing traditions in the series. It wouldn't be a Fast and Furious movie without everyone gathering for a meal in Dom's backyard!

Taken on its own terms, though, this first movie is simply an engaging film which, as I wrote in 2016, "in some respects is different from movies I typically watch and in other ways fits right in with the older cop movies I enjoy."

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS was directed by Rob Cohen and filmed by Ericson Core. It runs 106 minutes.

This one-minute tribute video to the series highlights several favorite things, including Dom and Brian's "found family," the Los Angeles setting, and, of course, those backyard meals.

THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS is available on DVD and Blu-ray.

Previous reviews in this series: THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (2001) (mini review), 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS (2003), THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT (2006), FAST & FURIOUS (2009), FAST FIVE (2011), FAST & FURIOUS 6 (2013), FURIOUS 7 (2015), THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS (2017), FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW (2019), F9: THE FAST SAGA (2021), and FAST X (2023).

FAST FOREVER (2028) is expected to be the final Fast and Furious film, with a release planned for 2028.

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