THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS

US, 2001, 105 minutes, Colour.
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Ted Levine.
Directed by Rob Cohen.

The Fast and the Furious is what publicists usually call a high-octane action film. It focuses on drag races in Los Angeles and on the highways surrounding the city. It also has a subplot with drug-dealing, the smuggling of cars and their illegal sales. It is also multi-racial in its presentation of the various gangs and criminal bodies in Los Angeles.

Directed by Rob Cohen (Dragonheart, Dragon - the Bruce Lee Story, Daylight, The Skulls), he uses the star of The Skulls, Paul Walker, as the undercover policeman (not revealed until part-way through the film). The main star is Vin Diesel, who was becoming an action hero at this time with such films as Pitch Black. He then appeared in XXX which was a great box office success (and also directed by Cohen).

The film is a throwback to the kind of film made in the '50s with names like The Fast and the Furious (with Tony Curtis) and Rebel Without a Cause. In 2002 an Italian film, Maximum Velocity, took most of the screenplay and characters from The Fast and the Furious and presented them Italian style. Strictly for those who like car action movies.

1. The box office success of the film all over the world? Youth appeal? Cars? Adrenalin and excitement? The music? The title, the reference to the characters, the car activities?

2. The California locations, the police stations, the car yards, service stations? The city, the streets? The races? The editing and the pace for the races? The musical score, the range of songs?

3. The focus on Dominic Toretto, his dominance of people around him, his girlfriend, Mia, his sister? Suspicions that he was into stealing and smuggling? The encounter with Brian, the confrontation, the bets, the race? His beating Brian yet their becoming friends? Brian helping him with the police, giving him the lift? Their working together, the cars? His protection of his sister? The confrontation with the Asian gangs, the chases, the violence? The revelation that he was into the smuggling? His friends and the team, the last job, pursuing the truck, taking it over? His being taken by the police, his escape, Brian letting him go?

4. Brian, on the scene with his car, the confrontations, at the diner and his friendship with Mia? Meeting with Dominic, betting the car, the race? His friendship with Dominic? The revelation that he was undercover, his cover story, infiltrating the gangs? His relationship with Mia, his determination to expose the gangs, to trap Dominic? The deaths, the Asian gangs? The final race, the confrontation, on the highway and meeting Dominic? Taking him - and letting him go?

5. Letty and her relationship with Dominic, the following of the gangs, being present at the races, sexual relationship? Mia, her believing in her brother, falling in love with Brian, the affair, not wanting to believe the truth? Helping Brian? The role of women with the drivers and the gangs?

6. The other members of the gang, their personalities, dysfunctional, erupting? Family, cars? Jessie, Leon, Vince?
7. The opening and the hijacking of the trucks? The reaction of the drivers? The vigilante action? The role of the police, the squad and the demands on Brian, Sgt Tanner and his attitude towards the gangs? The pressure on Brian, the deadlines?

8. The Asian gangs, the bikes, the cars, their being arrested, bashed? The irony that they were innocent of this accusation? The sequences in the Asian home, the arrest, losing face? The place of the Asian gangs in Los Angeles?

9. Popular themes for the youth audience, energy and noise? The basic morality and the film as a moral fable for the young audience?