2 Fast 2 Furious (Mini Review Series)

Initial release date: June 6, 2003

Tagline: The new models are in …

Plot: This sequel focuses on ex-police officer Brian O’Conner, who relocates from LA to Miami to start over. Becoming involved in the street-racing scene in his new city, Brian befriends car-savvy Tej and Suki, but his competitive streak ends when federal agents apprehend him and he must enter into a deal with the FBI. Working with new partner Roman Pearce, Brian begins a dangerous mission to take down a powerful drug dealer.

Cast

Paul Walker (Furious 7) - Brian O’Conner

Tyrese Gibson (Christmas Chronicles 2; F9) - Roman Pearce

Eva Mendes (The Place Beyond the Pines) - Monica Fuentes

Cole Hauser (TVs Yellowstone) - Carter Verone

Ludacris (F9) - Tej

Thom Barry (Texas Chainsaw 3D) - Agent Bilkins

James Ramar (CWs Black Lightning) - Agent Markham

Devon Aoki (War; Sin City) - Suki

Amaury Nolasco (Jarhead: Law of Return) - Orange Julius

Michael Ealy (The Intruder; Fatale) - Slap Jack

Jin Au-Yeung (Monster Hunter) - Jimmy

Edward Finlay - Agent Dunn

Writer(s): Michael Brandt (NBCs Chicago series; Wanted; The 3:10 To Yuma)

Derek Haas (Chicago series; Wanted)

DIrector: John Singleton (Abduction; Four Brothers)

Rated PG-13 for street racing, violence, language and some sensuality (107 min)

With ‘F9: The Fast Saga’ now playing in theaters and at the Dietrich I’m taking another look at the series. A few days ago, I took another glance at the 2001 original ‘The Fast and the Furious.’ Now, it’s time to take another peek at its first sequel, 2003s ‘2 Fast 2 Furious.’

The sequel opens with an awesome race that has one hell of a finish (with the cars jumping across the bridge). It’s not as good as the 2001 movie, but it’s still very entertaining. ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’ delivers some solid racing sequences and great action.

This mini review will be slightly short due to time constraints with other things I have going on today and couldn’t finish it up last night due to power outages on and off throughout the night.

Here are some interesting tidbits about ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’:

• Universal had two different scripts commissioned. The first script featured Vin Diesel’s character, while the second script didn’t, in case he decided not to return.

• While this movie was filming on one side of Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne, ‘Bag Boys II’ was filming on the other side.

• To keep the feel of the movie interesting, director John Singleton often encouraged the actors to improvise during filming. Many of the humorous moments on screen are ad-libbed.

• The electrical device used by the police throughout the movie to disable the cars is non-existent in reality. It was just made up by the creators of the movie to add more excitement.

• Only ‘Furious’ movie without an appearance from Vin Diesel.

• Plans to make a sequel came about after the box office success of the first movie.

• Singleton credited ‘Top Gun’ as a major influence for the movie, particularly with regard to the action sequences.

• Vin Diesel was offered $25 million to return in this sequel. However, he refused after reading the screenplay as he felt that its potential was inferior compared to that of its predecessor, rather, he chose to appear in ‘Chronicles of Riddick.’

• ‘2 Fast 2 Furious’ earned $50.5 million in its US opening in 3,408 theaters. In its 133 days of release, the film reached a peak of 3,418 theaters in the US and earned $127.2 million.