The critics missed the boat....

Rating: Null/10 (23 June 2001)

B movie? What B movie? Either a film entertains you or it doesn't.
After seeing THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS with the target audience (that would be with the ethnically diverse kids of L.A. as depicted up on the screen), I'm convinced that what critics say about any movie no longer matters. The audience I sat in ate it up!
As long as a movie studio can market and successfully test a movie AND it connects with an audience, it's golden (the film's release date was moved back, by the way, but only because the studio execs at Universal were confident that it could compete with other big summer movies). I will go as far as saying this will be the sleeper hit of summer 2001. There are enough elements here (good looking stars, cool soundtrack, lots of action, and for the romantics a love story) for it to appeal to a large audience.
As for the rest of you who are perhaps a bit older or not into cars: You'll probably walk out of the theater with a headache after all the bone-crunching stunts and loud hiphop and hard rock on the soundtrack.
Personally, I was totally entertained. Imagine taking the CGI technology of the special effects from STAR WARS and the energy of THE ROAD WARRIOR and combining them with road racing -- that will give you a good idea what the race/action scenes are like in this flick.
I am into cars. I enjoy fast driving. And good looking women like that cutie Jordana Brewster.
I left the theater with a huge grin on my face. Kudos to director Rob Cohen and his crew.