Movie · 2009 · Action, Crime, Thriller · 1h 47m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 1.5/10 (735K ratings)
New model. Original parts.
Overview
When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner. But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmaneuver him. And the two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.5/10
IMDb: 6.5/10
Letterboxd: 2.96/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 28%
Metacritic: 46
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
Justin Lin
Production
dentsu, Universal Pictures, Relativity Media, Original Film, One Race
Cast
Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John Ortiz, Laz Alonso, Gal Gadot, Jack Conley, Shea Whigham, Liza Lapira, Sung Kang, Tego Calderon, Don Omar, Mirtha Michelle, Greg Cipes, Ron Yuan, Alejandro Patiño, Joe Hursley, Cesar Garcia, Brandon T. Jackson
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, over-the-top bridge between the street-racing roots of the series and its later heist-movie identity. The action is often silly, but the car chases, rivalry chemistry, and pulpy momentum make it an easy watch if you’re in the mood for loud, muscular entertainment.
Best for
fans of car-chase action
viewers who like crime-thrillers with soap-opera character drama
people curious about the franchise’s turning point
audiences who enjoy practical stunts mixed with digital excess
Skip if
you want tightly written crime plotting
you dislike melodramatic dialogue and macho posturing
you need realistic physics or grounded action
you’re not interested in car culture or franchise continuity
Overview
This entry is where the series starts to shed pure street-racing identity and lean harder into undercover-crime melodrama. The plot is familiar and sometimes clunky, but the movie understands momentum: it keeps moving, keeps escalating, and keeps finding excuses to put its characters behind the wheel again.
Worth noting
What stands out most is the chemistry between the central rivals, which gives the movie a sturdier emotional spine than the mechanics of the story deserve. The action is frequently ridiculous, but that’s part of the appeal; it plays like a comic-book version of outlaw car culture, with enough sincerity to keep the absurdity from collapsing.
Bottom line
If you like your action movies loud, glossy, and a little dumb in a committed way, this is an easy recommendation. If you want the franchise at its most polished or its most inventive, later installments do bigger things, but this one has a scrappy energy that still works.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Willow Maclay (3★) · 2887 likes
Shout out to the dude who saves his iguana in this movie by taking it with him as he jumps out of a flaming, moving car. Bless your kind heart.
Josh Larsen (3.5★) · 2445 likes
The one where Vin Diesel puts an elbow through his car's window instead of just rolling it down.
Josh Lewis (2★) · 2177 likes
I like that one scene where Vin Diesel reimagines a crime scene Will-Graham-style.
Andy Young (3.5★) · 1593 likes
fucking bullshit this wasn’t called “Fast & 4ious” get the mayor of cinema on the phone