For those of you who hated this movie. . .

Rating: Null/10 (3 August 2002)

there is, actually, a reason to see it again. Or at least, to not turn off the TV when there's nothing else on and it's on cable for free, which is how I ended up watching it.
*****SPOILERS (OF THIS FILM & OTHERS) WITHIN, PLEASE TAKE NOTE******
The thing to watch for here is not the extended music video B.S. that creates the excuse for whatever plot there is, to occur. What you want to watch, if you watch it again, is the rather poignant (tongue in cheek, here) love story that develops --not between Brian and Mia (who in the world thinks bland and boring Jordana Brewster is hotter than the kick-ass Michelle Rodriguez?), but between Brian and Dom! Yes, it's true --the whole Brian/Mia thing is just a front (and a very shabbily executed front, at that) to fool the ultra-macho "target audience" into thinking that Brian's conflict and eventual fall from grace in the eyes of the law are the result of his feelings for a girl. What feelings? What happened between Brian and Mia was a walk-through of a budding relationship. No chemistry, no romance, no sex --just some friendly eye contact and jokes about tuna fish. Yes, they do go to bed together --but you only know that because Brian gets a phone call from his boss afterward and she happens to be lying next to him when he answers. She really does not need to be in this movie at all --not even as the catalyst for the animosity between Brian and Vince, because Vince seems just as jealous of Brian's growing intimacy with Dom as with Mia. It's Dom who really inspires Brian's admiration, his respect, his friendship, his loyalty and his devotion. And Dom, to an extent, returns the favor --he takes Brian under his wing, treats Brian more as his equal than he does his motley band of punk friends; he shows Brian his special secret muscle car, exposing his sensitive side by admitting that he's scared to drive the car, telling the story of his father's death and sharing how he feels when he races. And the train/jump scene at the end --a pretty damn cool stunt, granted; but note the "Thelma and Louise"-esque moment as they look into each others' eyes and make that death-defying jump in sync, together. And what everyone seems to forget is that Dom does not crash the black car jumping the train tracks --he gets broadsided because he's so engrossed in sharing that post-jump bonding moment with Brian that he doesn't see the other car coming. Then at the end, you'd expect there to be some sort of conflict in Brian's mind as he could either make his big bust and put away a legitimate criminal, or let Dom go. Hell, even Jennifer Lopez in "Out of Sight" shot George Clooney when she had to. But Brian doesn't hesitate. He not only lets Dom go, but gives him a rather expensive getaway car.
In short, trust me: this movie is very (and I'm sure, unintentionally) amusing to watch, in the proper light.
That all said, Vin Diesel --even in this shallow sort of offering-- is crazy/sexy/cool, and I wouldn't blame anyone of any gender or persuasion for following his scrumptious ass around.