Movies

In fairness, this sequel is better than its predecessor, "The Fast and the Furious," but that's not saying much. I didn't care for the first movie. I know I'm supposed to check my brain at the door and all, but even the action was neither particularly fast nor furious. However, I was pretty sure the sequel would be better, for a couple of reasons. First and foremost was the fact that Vin Dumbsel, I mean, Diesel, an overhyped goon who thinks he's God's gift to cinema, would not be starring. That makes the sequel better automatically.

The second reason I thought "2 Fast 2 Furious" would improve on the first movie was director John Singleton, who was Oscar-nominated (for "Boyz N The Hood") and has a sharp visual eye. His predecessor, Rob Cohen, can make neither claim.

"The Fast and the Furious" was bogged down by a plot of hijacking semi-trucks, something that's stupid even for this kind of movie. The plot of "2 Fast 2 Furious" wises up, relatively speaking. U.S. Customs Agents recruit ex-cop and current street racer Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) to help them bring down Carter Verone (Cole Hauser) a businessman who is laundering money and is linked to street racing. If Brian agrees, the authorities will wipe out his criminal record, which, sadly, does not include bad acting. Brian agrees, but only if he can enlist the help of his old buddy Roman (Tyrese).

The problem is, Roman bears a grudge against Brian, whom he holds responsible for his stint in prison. But, hey, he still likes to drive those flashy cars. And his criminal record will go bye-bye too. However, after opening with a snazzy race and setting up the plot, the movie bogs down with too many talky stretches.

The most interesting part of the first half is not anything involving cars. It's a nasty torture scene featuring a rat trapped in a pail being heated by a blowtorch so the rat will munch on the person underneath it.

I never thought I'd say this, but I almost missed Vin Diesel at first. With him gone, that focuses attention on Walker, whose surfer-dude act is ridiculous. Crush, the sea turtle in "Finding Nemo," makes a much more convincing surfer dude than the laughable Walker. Thankfully, Walker's co-star Tyrese comes to the rescue with a magnetically cocky performance. He steals the movie.

Tyrese was the lead in Singleton's underrated film "Baby Boy," and the two clearly have a good rapport that makes the film more entertaining than it ought to be.

Once the lazy first hour passes, the movie picks up the pace, and the races and chases pump up the adrenaline, thanks to Singleton, who knows how to make the most of what people come to this movie to see: really fast cars. He uses the first movie's silly Blur-O-Vision that appears whenever a car uses its super-duper speed, but he also mixes in upside-down frames and slick point-of view shots that dart everywhere to put us behind the steering wheel and make this series finally be truly fast and furious.

Still, I can't quite recommend the film. I got over my phase with fast cars once the old TV show "Knight Rider" went down the tubes.

If movies about rebellious punks who drive cars that look like oversized Hot Wheels toys ring your bell, by all means go and enjoy. And don't remind me that a movie actually based on Hot Wheels is in the works. Personally, I prefer movies that add a little class to their car chases, like "The Italian Job." I have a much better chance of affording one of that movie's cool mini-cars than a souped-up hot rod anyway.

Eric Robinette is the entertainment editor for the Middletown Journal.