"New model. Original parts" the publicity says of this fourth episode of the franchise, which started off nine years ago as The Fast and the Furious. Frankly, the new, article-free model is no better but it made $70 million on its opening weekend in America, so Justin Lin, the director, and Vin Diesel, the monosyllabic star, must be laughing themselves all the way to wherever they put the money these days.
Diesel plays the same character, ex-con Dominic, who is now holed up in the Dominican Republic and living on the run with Letty (Michelle Rodriguez). When she is killed in one of the film’s many car chases, he joins forces with his old enemy, an FBI agent (Paul Walker), to defeat the powerful drug lord who was responsible. Like Bond in his latest manifestation, Dominic will never forgive and forget.
Both screenplay and plotting are basic but the action scenes are a wonder to behold if you can forget the number of civilians who would have been killed as the chases progress through various cities.
The Fast And The Furious
Cert: 15
