Okay, this is not your arthouse stuff. Even the special effects are not that great. But it's effective escapist material, and for its worth, it literally offers a great ride. The essential ingredients of a good, cheesy Hollywood movie are all there: the “hot” leads, the explosive action, the semi-twist you could see a mile off. It's a totally industrial production, but it works . And it fits the occasion of a night at the cinemas well.
What's missing perhaps, and probably thankfully, is a romance sub-plot. Sure there's a few lines and scenes here and there, but it's nothing material. The plot is revenge-centric (think the latest installments of 007), as Vin Diesel is out to avenge (minor-spoiler) the death of his love. Paul Walker is still trying to chase him down, but is more of a friend than a foe. The antagonist remains hidden for the most of the film, though that's not really an issue.
Plot aside, the film features a number of lengthy chases. The best is still the opening sequence, which is stylishily outrageous and over-the-top, despite the CG not living up to the concept and looking fake in a few shots. The rest is fairly average, but in other words, on par. There isn't any really boring action scenes, and that's actually a rarity for a lot of studio productions these days.
So if you feel you need an adrenaline rush, forget the critics and go see Fast & Furious. Yes it's mindless, but it's fun. And unlike a lot of other cheesy films, it rarely irritates.
7/10
http://www.dani19.com/2009/04/17/fast-furious- 2009/
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