The Fast and the Furious (2001 film): Difference between revisions
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'''''The Fast and the Furious''''' is a 2001 American-German [[action film|action]] [[crime film]] directed by [[Rob Cohen]], produced by [[Neal H. Moritz]] and written by [[Gary Scott Thompson]] and [[David Ayer]]. It is the first installment in the ''[[The Fast and the Furious]]'' franchise. The film stars [[Vin Diesel]], [[Paul Walker]], [[Michelle Rodriguez]], [[Jordana Brewster]], [[Rick Yune]], [[Chad Lindberg]], [[Johnny Strong]], and [[Matt Schulze]].<ref name="NYT">{{cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9401E2D61630F931A15755C0A9679C8B63|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=[[Elvis Mitchell]]|title=Getaway Drivers, Take Note: This One's Made for You|date=2001-06-22}}</ref> The film follows undercover cop [[Brian O'Conner]], who is tasked with stopping a group of unknown hijackers using high-performance racecars to hijack 18-wheelers. |
'''''The Fast and the Furious''''' is a 2001 American-German [[action film|action]] [[crime film]] directed by [[Rob Cohen]], produced by [[Neal H. Moritz]] and written by [[Gary Scott Thompson]] and [[David Ayer]]. It is the first installment in the ''[[The Fast and the Furious]]'' franchise. The film stars [[Vin Diesel]], [[Paul Walker]], [[Michelle Rodriguez]], [[Jordana Brewster]], [[Rick Yune]], [[Chad Lindberg]], [[Johnny Strong]], and [[Matt Schulze]].<ref name="NYT">{{cite web|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9401E2D61630F931A15755C0A9679C8B63|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=[[Elvis Mitchell]]|title=Getaway Drivers, Take Note: This One's Made for You|date=2001-06-22}}</ref> The film follows undercover cop [[Brian O'Conner]], who is tasked with stopping a group of unknown hijackers using high-performance racecars to hijack 18-wheelers. |
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Inspiration for the film was sought through a ''[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]'' magazine article titled "Racer X", which detailed the illegal street racing circuit operating within [[New York City]].<ref name="NYT" /> Filming locations include New York City and [[New England]], with a majority of the film being shot in southern [[California]]. ''The Fast and the Furious'' was released on June 22, 2001, grossing over $207 million worldwide from an estimated $38 million budget. It was later re-released on June 22, 2016, to celebrate its 15th anniversary. |
Inspiration for the film was sought through a ''[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]]'' magazine article titled "Racer X", which detailed the illegal street racing circuit operating within [[New York City]].<ref name="NYT" /> Filming locations include New York City and [[New England]], with a majority of the film being shot in southern [[California]]. ''The Fast and the Furious'' was released on June 22, 2001, grossing over $207 million worldwide from an estimated $38 million budget. It was later re-released on June 22, 2016, to celebrate its 15th anniversary. |
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Despite ''The Fast and the Furious'' achieving financial success, it was gained a 53% approval rating on [[Rotten Tomatoes]], which called it "sleek and shiny on the surface" in its critical consensus. ''The Fast and the Furious'' was followed by ''[[2 Fast 2 Furious]]'' in 2003. |
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== Plot == |
== Plot == |
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Revision as of 17:47, 30 April 2017
| The Fast and the Furious | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Rob Cohen |
| Screenplay by |
|
| Story by | Gary Scott Thompson |
| Produced by | Neal H. Moritz |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Ericson Core |
| Edited by | Peter Honess |
| Music by | BT |
Production companies |
|
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 106 minutes[2] |
| Countries | United States Germany[1] |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $38 million[2] |
| Box office | $207.3 million[2] |
The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 American-German action crime film directed by Rob Cohen, produced by Neal H. Moritz and written by Gary Scott Thompson and David Ayer. It is the first installment in the The Fast and the Furious franchise. The film stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, and Matt Schulze.[3] The film follows undercover cop Brian O'Conner, who is tasked with stopping a group of unknown hijackers using high-performance racecars to hijack 18-wheelers.
Inspiration for the film was sought through a Vibe magazine article titled "Racer X", which detailed the illegal street racing circuit operating within New York City.[3] Filming locations include New York City and New England, with a majority of the film being shot in southern California. The Fast and the Furious was released on June 22, 2001, grossing over $207 million worldwide from an estimated $38 million budget. It was later re-released on June 22, 2016, to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
Despite The Fast and the Furious achieving financial success, it was gained a 53% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which called it "sleek and shiny on the surface" in its critical consensus. The Fast and the Furious was followed by 2 Fast 2 Furious in 2003.
Plot
In the docks outside Los Angeles, a semi-trailer truck is loaded with electronics. On the road, it is hijacked by three heavily modified black Honda Civics with green underglow. The Honda drivers fire a grappling hook into the truck's windshield, knock out the driver, and corral the semi allowing them to heist the electronics and escape.
The next day, undercover LAPD officer Brian O'Conner is assigned to find the gang responsible for the crimes. Brian uses his cover job at an auto parts shop to infiltrate the L.A. street racing scene. While visiting Torreto's Market, a local diner, he flirts with the shop's owner, Mia Toretto, who is the younger sister of a well-known street racer, Dominic Toretto. Vince, one of Dominic’s henchmen and who has a crush on her, starts a fight with Brian, which Dominic breaks up.
During a local racing gathering, Brian arrives with his 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS, and Dominic arrives in his 1993 Mazda RX-7. Dominic organizes a drag race with himself, Brian, and two other drivers. Despite monetary bets, Brian wagers pink slips for his car. During the race, Brian blows his engine, handing the victory to Dominic. As Brian prepares to give Dominic the keys, the LAPD arrives, forcing everyone to flee. Dominic parks his Mazda into a local garage to limit suspicious by walking home, but is spotted by a police cruiser. Brian arrives and saves him from the cops. The duo ventures into the territory of Dominic's old racing rival, Vietnamese gang leader Johnny Tran and his cousin, Lance Nguyen. Tran and Lance blow up Brian's Eclipse. Afterwards, Dominic tells Brian that he owes Dominic a "ten-second car", a car that can drive a quarter mile in 10 seconds from a standstill.
Brian goes to Dominic's garage, where he offers his skills as a driver and a mechanic. He begins dating Mia, much to Vince's dismay. Brian investigates Hector and Tran, convinced that Tran is responsible for the truck hijackings. He is cornered by Vince and Dominic, who demand an explanation. Brian lies about checking the cars of his rivals for the upcoming Race Wars, a street racing event in the desert. Brian, Vince, and Dominic check out Tran's garage, and Brian notices a shipment of electronics in the garage. Meanwhile, Brian and Dominic build a replacement car for the Eclipse, a 1995 Toyota Supra.
Brian reports the batch of electronics to his superiors at the LAPD and FBI, and they arrest Tran and Lance. It turns out the electronics had been bought legally, leading to the duo’s release. Despite his own doubts, Brian is now forced to assume that Dominic is the actual coordinator of the truck heists. Brian's superiors give him 36 hours to find the perpetrators, as the truckers are now arming themselves to defend themselves against hijackings.
At the Race Wars, Jesse, another of Dominic’s henchmen, wages his father's Volkswagen Jetta to Tran, but flees with the car after he loses. Tran confronts Dominic to claim the car, and then mocks him, accusing him of reporting him to the police. This leads to Dominic and Tran engaging in a fight. Later that night, Brian notices the crew leaving, and realizes that Dominic is indeed the hijacker. He reveals his true identity to Mia and convinces her to reveal the location of the Civics and aid him in his plans.
Dominic, Vince, Dominic's girlfriend Letty, and another henchman Leon, prepare to hijack a semi-trailer truck. However, the truck driver is armed and uses aggressive counter-hijack tactics against Dominic's gang. Vince is trapped on the truck's hood having been shot, while Letty's car is knocked over and flips from the highway, later saved by Leon. Brian arrives with Mia, who commandeers the Supra while Brian rescues Vince. When Dominic arrives, Brian is forced to blow his cover and call for a medical evacuation to rescue Vince. Dominic leaves with Mia and the rest of the crew after Vince is saved.
Brian arrives at Dominic's house to ask him about Jesse's whereabouts, saying that he'll get the cops to find him before Tran does, but Jesse arrives, apologizing for his actions, and is then killed in a drive-by shooting by Tran and Lance on dirt bikes. Dominic and Brian pursue them, with Dominic ramming Lance's bike off the road before he can shoot Brian. Brian shoots Tran, who loses control of the motorcycle and hits a curb, breaking his neck and killing him instantly in the process. Brian sees Dominic in the distance. Brian proceeds to chase after Dominic, culminating in a quarter-mile drag race. The race ends in a dead heat and they barely manage to cross a railway crossing before a train passes by, but Dominic violently crashes his father's 1970 Dodge Charger R/T into a truck. Instead of arresting Dominic, Brian gives him the keys to his own car, telling him he still owes him a ten-second car; Dominic goes in the car, and is able to escape the police.
In a post-credits scene, Dominic is seen driving through Baja California, Mexico, in a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle, having presumably abandoned the Supra.
Cast
- Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, a professional street racer and leader of the hijackers. He lives with his sister Mia. His father was a stock car racer, who was killed during a race by fellow racer Kenny Linder. In retaliation, Dominic violently attacked Linder, becoming banished from the professional racetrack for life, while Linder became a school janitor who takes the bus everyday. Dominic becomes a street racer and starts hijacking with his crew; he serves as a driver. He drives a red 1993 Mazda RX-7, and has a custom-built 1970 Dodge Charger in his garage.
- Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner, a Los Angeles Police Department officer who is sent undercover by the FBI to locate and apprehend the crew of the truck hijackers to earn his detective's badge. He works part-time at The Racer's Edge, a chop shop, to connect with the street racing scene and find out more about the crews. He bonds with Dom after saving him from getting arrested. Brian drives a 1995 Mitsubishi Ecilpse GSX, a red Ford Lightning, and an orange 1995 Toyota Supra.
- Michelle Rodriguez as Leticia "Letty" Ortiz, Dom's girlfriend and part of the crew. Letty lived on the streets prior to encountering Dom and becoming love interests at 16. Letty is street-smart and a skilled mechanic and driver, using her skills as one of the drivers during hijackings. She drives a dark-faded red 1997 Nissan 240SX.
- Jordana Brewster as Mia Toretto, Dom's sister. Although aware of Dom's criminal activities, she is not part of the crew. She runs a little store where the crew usually meets, and is Brian's love interest, unaware that he is a cop. Mia is sad that her brother is a criminal, and wishes that he would reform his ways. Mia is also a skilled driver and drives an aqua-blue 1994 Acura Integra.
- Rick Yune as Johnny Tran, Dominic's main rival and Vietnamese gang leader of the Little Saigon crew. He is initially Brian's prime suspect in the hijacking case. Tran usually drives motorcycles with his cousin Lance, but he also has a custom black 2000 Honda S2000. Tran comes from a very wealthy family, and has only minor offences on his criminal record. Tran kills Jesse at the very end, and is subsequently shot by Brian.
- Chad Lindberg as Jesse, Dominic's friend and part of the crew. He grew up on the streets and he was brought into the crew by Leon. Jesse's father is an old friend of Dom, who is serving time in jail. Although he is brilliant in math and algebra, Jesse suffers from ADD, which resulted in him dropping out of high school. A computer expert, Jesse also participates in hijackings as a driver. Jesse races in his white 1995 Volkswagen Jetta. He is killed by Tran when he escapes after losing a pink slip race to him.
- Johnny Strong as Leon, Dominic's friend and part of the crew. He grew up with Vince and serves as an attacker during the hijacking, usually pulling out windshields of trucks to create safe passage for Vince. He drives a yellow 1995 Nissan Skyline GT-R. After the heist, it is suggested that he left L.A.
- Matt Schulze as Vince, Dominic's childhood friend and part of the crew. He grew up with Dom and Leon. He has a crush on Dom's sister Mia and dislikes Brian due to the former's attraction to him. He also suspects that Brian is a cop. Vince drives a blue 1999 Nissan Maxima. On the last failed hijacking, Vince is shot by a truck driver, forcing Brian to blow his cover in order to save his life. It is implied that Vince escapes from the hospital and flees to South America, settling in Rio de Janeiro.
The central cast is rounded out by Ted Levine and Thom Barry as Tanner and Bilkins respectively, members of the team that organized the investigation to place Brian undercover. Noel Gugliemi appears as Hector, the organizer of the drag race. Musician Ja Rule and R.J. de Vera also act as Edwin and Danny, fellow drivers at the drag race. Vyto Ruginis plays Harry, an informant and owner of The Racer's Edge. Reggie Lee portrays Lance Nguyen, Tran's cousin, and right-hand man. Neal H. Moritz and Rob Cohen both appear in cameos.
Production
Development and filming
Director Rob Cohen was inspired to make this film after reading a Vibe magazine article about street racing in New York City and watching an actual illegal street race at night in Los Angeles. While the film eventually became titled "The Fast and The Furious", its original name was "Redline" before it was changed.[4] Roger Corman licensed the title rights of his 1955 film The Fast and the Furious to Universal so that the title could be used on this project; both films were about racing.[5]
The film was shot in various locations within Los Angeles and parts of southern California. Key locations included Dodger Stadium (on the opening scene where Brian tests his Eclipse on the parking lot), Angelino Heights, Silver Lake and Echo Park (the neighborhoods around Toretto's home), as well as Little Saigon (where Tran destroys the Eclipse) and the San Bernardino International Airport (the venue for Race Wars, which attracted over 1,500 import car owners and enthusiasts).[6] The entire last rig heist scene was filmed along Domenigoni Parkway on the southern side of San Jacinto/Hemet in the San Jacinto Valley near Diamond Valley Lake.
Prior to filming, both Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez did not have driver's licenses, so they took driving lessons during production. For the climactic race scene between Brian and Toretto, separate shots of both cars crossing the railroad and the train crossing the street were filmed, then composited together to give the illusion of the train narrowly missing the cars. A long steel rod was used as a ramp for Toretto's car to crash through the semi-truck and fly in mid-air.
An alternate ending titled "More than Furious" was filmed, in which Tanner drops Brian off at the Toretto home, where he encounters Mia packing, intending to move away. Brian reveals that he resigned from the LAPD, who let him go quietly, and that he wants another chance with her. When Mia tells him that it's not going to be that simple, Brian tells her that he's got time. This ending was released in the collection bundle DVD version.
Music
The film's score was composed by music producer BT, mixing electronica with hip-hop and industrial influences. Two soundtracks were released for the film. The first one features mostly hip-hop and rap music. The second one, titled More Fast and Furious, features alternative metal, post-grunge and nu metal songs, as well as select tracks from BT's score.
Release
Box office
The Fast and the Furious was released on June 22, 2001 in North America and ranked #1 at the box office, earning $40,089,015 during its opening weekend. Its widest release was 2,889 theaters. During its run, the film has made a domestic total of $144,533,925 along with a foreign total of $62,750,000 bringing its worldwide total of $207,283,925 on a budget of $38 million, making it a financial success.[7]
Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a rating of 53% based on reviews from 147 critics and an average score of 5.4/10. The critical consensus reads: "Sleek and shiny on the surface, The Fast and the Furious recalls those cheesy teenage exploitation flicks of the 1950s."[8] On Metacritic, the film gained a metascore of 58 out of 100 based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[9] Todd McCarthy of Variety called the film "a gritty and gratifying cheap thrill, Rob Cohen's high-octane hot-car meller is a true rarity these days, a really good exploitationer, the sort of thing that would rule at drive-ins if they still existed."[10] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "an action picture that's surprising in the complexity of its key characters and portents of tragedy."[11] Vin Diesel's portrayal of Dominic Torretto won praise In particular with Reece Pendleton of the Chicago Reader writing "Diesel carries the movie with his unsettling mix of Zen-like tranquillity and barely controlled rage." [12]
Other reviews were more mixed. Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today gave the film 21⁄2 out of 4 stars, saying that Cohen "at least knows how to keep matters moving and the action sequences exciting."[13] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a C, saying it "works hard to be exciting, but the movie scarcely lives up to its title."[14] Rita Kempley of The Washington Post gave the film a scathing review, calling it "Rebel Without a Cause without a cause. The Young and the Restless with gas fumes. The Quick and the Dead with skid marks."[15] Paul Clinton of CNN wrote that Cohen "created a high-octane, rubber-burning extravaganza" but he criticized the film for "plot holes you could drive the proverbial truck through" and an idiotic ending.[16]
Accolades
| Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFI Award | Cinematographer of the Year | Ericson Core | Nominated |
| ALMA Award | Outstanding Song in a Motion Picture Soundtrack | The Fast and the Furious | Nominated |
| ASCAP Award | Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures | Caddillac Tah | Won |
| Black Reel | Theatrical - Best Actor | Vin Diesel | Nominated |
| BMI Film Music Award | BT | Won | |
| Golden Trailer | Best Action | The Fast and the Furious | Nominated |
| Hollywood Breakthrough Award | Breakthrough Male Performance | Paul Walker | Won |
| Golden Reel Award (Motion Picture Sound Editors) | Best Sound Editing - Effects & Foley, Domestic Feature Film | Bruce Stambler (supervising sound editor) Jay Nierenberg (supervising sound editor) Michael Dressel (supervising foley editor) Steve Mann (sound editor) Kim Secrist (sound editor) Steve Nelson (sound editor) Howard Neiman (sound editor) Glenn Hoskinson (sound editor) Tim Walston (sound effects designer) Charles Deenen (sound effects designer) Scott Curtis (foley editor) Dan Yale (foley editor) |
Nominated |
| Golden Reel Award (Motion Picture Sound Editors) | Best Sound Editing - Dialogue & ADR, Domestic Feature Film | Bruce Stambler (supervising sound editor) Jay Nierenberg (supervising sound editor) Becky Sullivan (supervising dialogue editor/supervising adr editor) Mildred Iatrou (dialogue editor) Donald L. Warner Jr. (dialogue editor) Robert Troy (dialogue editor) Paul Curtis (dialogue editor) William Dotson (dialogue editor) Cathie Speakman (dialogue editor) Nicholas Vincent Korda (adr editor) Lee Lemont (adr editor) |
Nominated |
| MTV Movie Award | Best On-Screen Team | Vin Diesel Paul Walker |
Won |
| MTV Movie Award | Best Movie | The Fast and the Furious | Nominated |
| MTV Movie Award | Best Male Performance | Vin Diesel | Nominated |
| MTV Movie Award | Breakthrough Male Performance | Paul Walker | Nominated |
| MTV Movie Award | Best Action Sequence | The Fast and the Furious | Nominated |
| Taurus Award | Best Driving | Matt Johnston Mike Justus Debbie Evans Tim Trella Christopher J. Tuck Kevin Scott (semi driver) |
Won |
| Taurus Award | Best Work With a Vehicle | Christopher J. Tuck Mike Justus |
Won |
| Taurus Award | Best Stunt by a Stunt Woman | Debbie Evans | Won |
| Taurus Award | Best Stunt by a Stunt Man | Christopher J. Tuck Tim Trella |
Won |
| Taurus Award | Best Stunt Coordinator and/or 2nd Unit Director: Feature Film | Mic Rodgers | Won |
| Taurus Award | Best Work With a Vehicle | Jimmy N. Roberts | Nominated |
| Taurus Award | Hardest Hit | Mike Justus | Nominated |
Home video
The Fast and the Furious was released on DVD on January 2, 2002. A second DVD entitled the "Tricked Out Edition", released on June 3, 2003, featured The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious, a short film that set the tone to the film's sequel. An abridged version of the short film is also on the sequel's DVD release.
Merchandising
Racing Champions released diecast metal replicas of the film's cars in different scales from 1/18 to 1/64.[17] RadioShack sold ZipZaps micro RC versions of the cars in 2002.[18] 1/24 scale plastic model kits of the hero cars were manufactured by AMT Ertl.[19]
See also
References
- ^ "Furious". British Film Institute. London. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ a b c "The Fast and the Furious (2001)".
- ^ a b Elvis Mitchell (2001-06-22). "Getaway Drivers, Take Note: This One's Made for You". The New York Times.
- ^ Interview found on the original DVD release
- ^ [1]
- ^ Cinema.com – The Fast and the Furious Production Notes
- ^ "The Fast and the Furious-Box Office Mojo".
- ^ "The Fast and the Furious". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster.
- ^ "The Fast and the Furious Reviews-Metacritic".
- ^ McCarthy, Todd (June 21, 2001). "The Fast and the Furious". Variety.
- ^ Los Angeles Times – The Fast and the Furious Review
- ^ "The Fast and the Furious" by Reece Pendleton – Chicago Reader
- ^ USA Today – Car Hoods Rev Up in The Fast and the Furious
- ^ Entertainment Weekly – The Fast and the Furious
- ^ The Washington Post – Fast Leaving Logic in the Dust
- ^ CNN – Review: The Fast and the Furious Runs on Empty
- ^ Racing Champions Ertl Company Press Release
- ^ Micro RC Cars – RadioShack ZipZaps
- ^ AMT Ertl – The Fast and the Furious
External links
- The Fast and the Furious at IMDb
- The Fast and the Furious at Rotten Tomatoes
- The AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- 2001 films
- 2000s action thriller films
- 2000s crime thriller films
- American action thriller films
- American crime thriller films
- American films
- Auto racing films
- English-language films
- The Fast and the Furious
- Fictional portrayals of the Los Angeles Police Department
- Films based on newspaper and magazine articles
- Films directed by Rob Cohen
- Films set in Los Angeles
- Films set in Mexico
- Films shot in Los Angeles
- German films
- German action films
- German crime films
- Original Film films
- Screenplays by David Ayer
- Universal Pictures films