THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS: TOKYO DRIFT

US, 2006, 104 minutes, Colour.
Lucas Black, Natalie Kelley, Bow Wow, Brian Tee, Sung Kang.
Directed by Justin Lin.

‘I’m a guy. It’s in my genes.’

This is the hero’s reply when asked why he likes bigger engines in cars. It would be a good tagline for advertising the film. The appeal is to testosterone and adrenalin. Unlike the previous Fast and Furious films where there were female drivers, the young women here are simply (skimpily) appendages to male posturing and ego.

Lucas Black has played a number of surly juveniles up till now. Here he plays a surly almost 18 year old, a rebel without a cause (except for big engines and driving to win) who finds himself sent to his father in Japan where, before you could say ‘fast’ let alone ‘furious’, he is at the wheel. But, he doesn’t know Tokyo Drift which, we learn, is mainly accurate skidding with shrieking tires. Ultimately, of course, he masters this, defeating a loathsome Yakuza Jr who would be considered extreme caricature as a Japanese guard in a prisoner of war camp. And, of course, the winsome girl belongs to this villain but is won over by something or other in our hero. He does smile broadly at times with his accentuated southern drawl.

So, it is stunts and speed, sound and fury (well, signifying very little) although there are some texts on responsibility now and again. Bow Wow appears as an African American in Japan hustling as if he was back home – which means that all the characters are really stereotypes. But the Americans are the best, as always.

1.The popularity of the previous films? For what audience? Testosterone and adrenalin? Male audiences? Female audiences? Young? Old?

2.The presuppositions about the audience? Interest in cars, competitiveness, racing and winning? Danger and crashes? Icons? Heroes? Good versus evil? The male drivers? The women as attending the men?

3.The California opening? The race? The special effects for the race? The continued special effects for the Drift races in Tokyo, in the city? On the mountain at the end?

4.The Tokyo locations, the glimpses of the city? Apartments, streets, schools, clubs? The world of American expatriates? The world of Tokyo gangsters? The Yakuza?

5.The title – Tokyo Drift, the screeches of tyres as the cars rounded corners, put on the brakes, skidded?

6.Sean Boswell, Lucas Black’s style and presence, serious, grinning? The rebel? With his car, love of machines? His saying that he was a guy and it was in his DNA? The race with the surly Californian, proving himself, his crashing? His being in court, reaction to the police? His mother and her exasperation? Sending him to his father? Arrival in Japan, his father’s rules, putting him in the room? His going to school, his attraction to Neela? The clashes with the young Japanese students, Drift King? His meeting with Twinkie and his hustling? His getting into the swing of things, the clash with Drift King, his working with Han? Driving his car, the smashing of the car? His involvement with Drift King and Han, the money deals, Drift King and his Yakuza uncle, Neela as his girlfriend? Postures and posing? His father’s laying down the law? Han and his death? Sean and his feeling responsibility? Defying his father, getting his father’s help, building up the car? His going to see Mr Kamata?, his courage, challenging Drift King to a race, returning the money? The preparation of the car, his support? The up and down relationship with Neela, listening to her story, explaining his own? The final race, his winning? The defeat of Drift King? The happy ending? The discussions about a sense of responsibility?

7.Twinkie, army brat, in Japan, hustling and dealing, and the stereotype of the African American? His support of Sean, the buddy, warning him, helping him?

8.Neela, from Australia, her presence in Japan, tied in with Drift King? Her interest in Sean, the difficulties, at the clubs? Supporting him at the end?

9.Han, Japan being his Mexico and his avoiding the US? Money? Giving Sean the car, getting the recompense, training him? His own race, the clash with Drift King, his death?

10.Drift King, place in the school, with Neela, his Yakuza uncle? His sneers, posturing against Sean? The challenges, the races? The finale and his losing?

11.The world of the school, the teachers, Sean arriving, having to change his shoes? Continuing at school?

12.The background of the Tokyo Drift racing, the young men and women, American-style posturing, clothes? The girls as hangers-on?

13.The Boswells, the mother’s exasperation, the father avoiding the family, in Japan, laying down the law, eventually helping his son?

14.The Yakuza, the gangsters, the toughs, the posers? Kamata and the final deal?

15.The warning at the end against imitating the stunts? The film’s dialogue about responsibility, dangers? The film having its cake and eating in terms of vicarious thrills as well as moral warnings?