2 FAST 2 FURIOUS

US, 2003, 107 minutes, Colour.
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Eva Mendes, Cole Hauser.
Directed by John Singleton.

At the end of the noisy revving original, undercover cop, Paul Walker, lets his buddy criminal, Vin Diesel, walk free. Diesel disappeared over the horizon to make a sequel to Pitch Black but not to The Fast and the Furious. However, Paul Walker is back along with singer, Tyrese, to find themselves undercover again to catch a Florida drug lord at his money laundering. And this is what they do, earning themselves an expunged record, Walker falling in love with an FBI undercover agent (Eva Mendes) and helping themselves to a bit of the spare cash - to start a garage!

In between there are races, there are chases, there are scenes of motor mayhem and stunts and crashes to satisfy even the Bad Boys movie fans. The FBI look stupid, local police look good.

And there is more than enough macho posturing and testosterone (plus one woman driver who, of course, never actually wins a race). And that's it.

1. The popularity of the original film? The need for a sequel? Without Vin Diesel?


2. The cast from the original? New cast? For the Miami plotline?

3. The title, the emphasis on fast with the fast cars? Furious with the car action? With the drug theme?

4. The Miami settings? Sunshine and wealth? Cars and races? The action sequences? Stunt work and effects? Pace and musical score?

5. The title and the emphasis on cars, Brian and Ramon, the races in Miami? The cars for the transportation of drugs?

6. Brian, the end of the first film, with Dom and his freedom? Out of the police force?

7. Brian and his time in Miami, his being approached to go undercover, his agreement, his reputation being cleared?

8. Brian and his approach to Verone? His cover, plausibility? Employment? The races and his reputation? His working with Verone’s thugs? Bringing in
a Ramon? Their working together, humour? Credible for the drug dealers?

9. Monica, her presence in the mansion, suspicious? Her personality? Working undercover? Working with Brian? Her insinuating herself? Going into action? The guns? The relationship with Brian?

10. Ramon, his character, friendship with Brian? Races, in on the action?

11. Verone, his character, wealth, empire, henchmen, security, his house, with Monica, employing Brian and Ramon? The transfer of the cash? The
betrayal, his comeuppance?

12. The local police, their work, drug dealers? Characters? The contrast with the FBI, the agents, their control?

13. Supporting characters, Suki, Slap Jack? Ethnic types? Symbolic types?

14. The drama and the transfer of the cash, dangers, the cars, speed, chases?

15. Popular ingredients and a continuation of this franchise?