Welcome to the beginning of the saga, where I, Riley, watch all the Fast and Furious movies for the first time ever. As a child of the early 2000s I’m incredibly aware that these high-speed, Vin Diesel-led movies are staples of 21st-century film history. Also, with the highly anticipated Fast X furiously approaching on the 2023 movie schedule, I thought now would be a great time to chronicle my experience watching the ten movies that came before the milestone Fast and Furious installment coming this May.
So, without further ado, let us begin this journey through the Fast franchise with the movie that started it all, 2001’s The Fast and the Furious.
This Movie Is Painstakingly 2001
Now, I mean this in a good and a bad way.
Watching the cars that looked like fluorescent Hot Wheels my brother and I grew up with (I mean this as a compliment) was super fun, and seeing all the throwback references, fashion, music and trends really put in perspective just how long this franchise has been around.
On the flip side, while there was nothing horrifically inappropriate, this film is a product of its time. These days it’s simply a fact that the way we talk about and to women -- as well as some choice vocabulary -- is different. The other painstakingly 2001 aspect of this film was the CGI. While I don’t think there was much of it, there were moments that were laughable. I’m talking about that first race where the boys use NOS to drive super fast and they decided to show the animated inside of the car starting to fire up. Let’s just say it was cringe.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and the 2001-ness of it didn’t bother me all that much. However, that’s not say this movie was very, very much a product of the early aughts.
It Feels And Looks Like The First Movie
You sure can tell this is the first installment of a franchise. While the movie has remained highly ranked among the other Fast and Furious films, it feels almost like a movie where the cast and crew used their can-do attitude to create a really good action movie with a significantly smaller budget than they have now.
With nice cars, but not necessarily the nicest cars, and big set pieces but not necessarily the biggest set pieces, it’s easy to see that this was a brand-new movie that didn’t have the history to prove it deserved a Marvel-level budget.
Along with the general look of the movie, a lot of world-building and character development had to happen in this film. It’s interesting to see Brian and Dom at the beginning of their relationship, knowing that they become family throughout the first seven movies. Overall, everything feels like a first, and I love that about the movie, however, I also can’t wait to see how this world grows.
There Are So. Many. Cars.
I know that sounds dumb, but I couldn’t get over it. And before you start thinking, ‘But Riley, this is a car movie, it’s literally about cars…’ I know that. However, I was not expecting there to be that many cars in the movie! When all the vehicles rolled up to that first race my jaw, literally, dropped. Seeing that many super nice, very fast and you could say furious cars in one place was overwhelming and I was wow-ed. The sheer number of cars is also what led to some wicked cool stunts, races and massive moments throughout the movie, truly setting the precedent for the rest of the franchise.
That Final Stunt Was Not Only Super Cool, But Extremely Well Written
After watching the last ten minutes of this movie I now get why ten more movies have followed. This is because, as a person who knows nothing about cars, I could easily recognize that the final stunt at the train tracks, where Dom hits a semi and flips his car, is a masterful feat of action, filmmaking and driving. So, I’d imagine for all you car buffs out there your mind was also blown when that happened (especially if you saw the movie in 2001).
In an interview with ET automotive expert Todd Hovsepian broke down the stunt, noting there was some movie magic involved, but that it was also super cool:
The flip in the end was awesome as well, but only possible with a convenient little stunt jump before the truck.
While the action is spectacular, the stunt is also meaningful because it calls back to major points made throughout the movie. For example, when Dom hit the semi that symbolized the character getting payback for the semi-hijacking he did throughout the movie. Also, when Brian gives him the “10-second car” at the end, that is a callback to the first drag race, where he uses his car’s pink slip to race. However, he didn’t end up giving the car to Dom because it exploded.
So, overall, this action-packed stunt wasn't just fun to watch, it was also loaded with meaning.
I’m So Here For Brian And Dom Becoming BFFs
It’s hard to believe that a fun fact about Fast and Furious is Vin Diesel almost wasn’t Dominic Toretto. But thank goodness he and Paul Walker both said yes, because they make such a fun duo on screen. Watching their characters go from enemies to friends then back to enemies and then leaving as pals, they really took us on quite a ride through their budding bromance. Since both characters had major secrets the movie set up a complex relationship for the two, however, there’s such a clear admiration between them that you can’t help but hope the two become besties.
I think this first movie set the stage nicely for Dom and Brian to work together through the films, up to Fast 7. I also feel it’s important to acknowledge the fact that I’m watching these movies many years after Paul Walker’s death. This fact makes me acutely aware of how important the two actors were to each other, and seeing the origins of their relationship felt really special. I can’t wait to see it flourish as I work my way across the Fast and Furious timeline.
The Plot Twists… I Really Didn’t See Those Coming
When it comes to movies, I think I’m pretty good a figuring out the big plot twists or shocking moments. Like (spoilers for two very popular movies ahead) in Top Gun: Maverick I totally knew Hangman would be the person to save Maverick and Rooster, or in Knives Out I correctly predicted that Ransom did it. However, with this – and please remember I went into this movie blind – I did. not. see. the plot twists coming.
The big twist I’m talking about is the fact that Brian is an undercover agent. When he walked into that house to chat about the case my mind was blown, I couldn’t believe he wasn’t 100% in with Dom. I guess the shock came from me knowing that the big thing about these movies is the ensemble is a family, and I had assumed Brian and Dom had always been BFFLs. However, boy was I wrong, and I’m so happy I was.
Other thoughts
- The sepia filter was a choice.
- The final 10 seconds of the movie really got me excited for the second one.
- To contextualize my feelings about the CGI, I literally used a face-palm emoji in my notes to describe my thoughts about it.
- Vin Diesel knows how to deliver a monologue.
Conclusion: It is a super, super solid first movie, however, it could have been a bit faster and furious-er.
If you are interested in watching The Fast and the Furious you can do so with a Peacock subscription. Also be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend because along with our Fast X coverage, I will be writing about all the thoughts I had while watching every Fast and Furious movie.
