Runs out of agas from the starting block

Rating: Null/10 (26 June 2001)

Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) has a thing for Mia Toretto (Jordana Brewster), who serves up tuna salad sandwiches at a vacant and failing open diner that only seedy, big burly thugs like her car mechanic brother Dominic (Vin Diesel) and his crew Vince (Matt Schulze), Leon (Johnny Strong), Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) and Jesse (Chad Lindberg) eat there. Dominic doesn't like the attention Mia is getting from Brian because he buys auto parts under the counter from Brian's boss. The parts are used to illegally enhance cars for street racing. Dominic and his crew bet on the races to support themselves. On the flip side of the racing coin is a Chinese gang led by Johnny Tran (Rick Yune). Unknown to the general populace, Brian is really a cop investigating a series of truck hijackings that he is trying to link to the street racers.
Working at a movie theater, I didn't expect this movie to do the business it did. But when the movie sold out every show on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, I had to see what all the hooplah was about so I dragged myself into the theatre. Before I went in, I read the synopsis the movie studios send us and said `Hmm, this may be good'. Guys, this movie comes nowhere close to that description. It starts with one of many implied truck hijackings. From there you are swept into what is suppose to be the story. Quite a few things bothered me about this movie. First, there is an air of fear associated with these street race gangs. They are buff and stuff and claim territory, but what I wanna know is what is so scary about a gang that race cars? Do theydo drive by honkings or something? What is this movie about? Is it about the illegally enhanced cars and the crime of street racing or is it about the truck hijacking sting. The script really never settles on one or the other. The love story between Brian and Mia goes no where at all. I found myself asking whether if they were together or not. There is one scene where I think the writer said ` Ooops, wait a minute, I forgot I was supposed to have a strong plot and make a point. I guess I had better clear some things up and make this one story.' He does this ( or should I say he didn't do this) in a diner scene between Dominic and Brian. The next thing that bothered me was the fact that even in the police scenes, you never know why the police suspect Dominic of the crimes. The movie gives you the impression that there are tons of street racing gangs and gangs of all types, so why did they focus on Dominic's gang. They try to hang the fact that he had been in fights as the reason but that is very weak
As for the acting, no one should call there mothers or anything because no one stood out. I will give Vin Diesel credit on one scene where in he reminisces on his father's racing days. He was cool and somber in this scene and it worked, but when he starts yelling, he isn't believable at all. His spontaneous rants are more like King Kong beating his chest rather than theatrical emoting. Other than the words, `I am a cop,' Paul Walker never proved he was a cop. Jordana was weak altogether.
I will give the camera guys credit for the racing scenes.
Ultimately it all depends on what you wish to see in the movie. If you want to see a lot of cool cars and hear Limp Bizkit's `My Way' blared loudly, then sure go see it, if you want cars and a plot, catch an episode of Knight Rider.