So I made it through the first five now, and here are my quick thots:
1. The Fast and the Furious
It's a relic of its time, but a pretty decent romp that doesn't overstay its welcome. Somewhat grounded film about an undercover cop trying to peg thieves in the street racing circuit......to think what this franchise has become. I enjoyed the relationship between Dom and Brian, and the overall feel of the film feels like the cheesy but enjoyable side of the late 90s. Score: 6/10
2. Fast 2 Furious
BRING ON THE NEEEEEOOOOONNNNN!!!!! -Ludacris probably. Honestly I liked having him and Tyrese Gibson on board, and Miami is a cool location. Cole Hauser's villain is one of the best in the series' history. I dunno, despite all the positive additions I feel like this one's aged the worst. It's perfectly watchable and makes for a good long music video, but it ain't much to write home about. Score: 5/10
3. The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
I'm conflicted. The dialogue can be Star Wars level bad at times, the main character isn't well developed, and its usage of women makes even me, a non-feminist, roll my eyes. On the flip side, taking the series to Tokyo was a great move, Han gets introduced to the franchise and Justin Lin's direction holds up after all these years. I'm titling towards the positive side of the ledger, perhaps against my objective leanings. Score: 6/10
4. Fast and Furious
All the main players are back, including the Torettos, Letty (for a bit) and Brian. Easily the weakest film in the series in terms of intrigue and fun, even if it's nice to see Walker and Diesel back together. One notable aspect of the film is its transition into a fully fledged heist series, an aspect it used to share with the whole street racing scene. The main positive is how it sets up its follow-up.....and that's about it. Even the f***ing title is derivative as f***. Score: 3/10
5. Fast Five
Most regard this as the best entry, and I can't disagree. The second act goes a touch too long for my liking, but the bookend action sequences are ludicrous and spectacular, and even I got swept up in the FAMILY of it all: Sung Kang, Ludacris, Gal Gadot, Tyrese Gibson all back with the main crew was great to see. Oh yeah, it also brought in The Rock. Need I say more? Score: 8/10
Unfortunately, I already get the feeling it's going downhill from here.....
