Wrong gear!

Onkar Joshi

Sex: Oh, Yes

Violence: Plenty

Swearing: Yes, again

Fast cars: Nineteen to the dozen

That's right.

Custommade imported cars zooming down LA streets in a winner-takes-all death rush. Fine women vying for crazed drivers who never tire of mouthing unprintables is the central idea of The Fast and The Furious.

For all its action, dialogues and the human and machine eye-candy, is it worth a watch?

Here's a hint: Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his gang believe robbing tractor trucks is the easiest way to rake in the greens. They make crime look oh-so-sleek in their black Honda Civics. As corporate beasts lose dollars of electronic equipment, the Feds are roped in.

Undercover cop Brian Spilner (Paul Walker) must befriend Dom but he finds himself falling for Dom's little sis Mia (Jordana Brewster). He gets a black eye for his efforts. But Brian soon wins Dom’s respect and Mia’s attention, much to the chagrin of some of Dom’s other cronies.

The film largely revolves around the trust that Dom and Brian share. It sadly leaves the other characters grossly under-developed. The attempt at romance between Brian and Mia is so feeble that it is lost as the smell of burning rubber and rising dust take precendence.

The film targets the youth with its loud music and strong language, aims at tickling 'the rebel in you'. The car chases and action sequences are well executed and perfectly timed. But that's all the film can boast about.

The acting is far from exceptional. The emotional switch where Brian's loyalties are questioned could have been better dealt with to lend him an iota of characterisation. Alas, that isn't the case.

Brian and Mia try to conform to the volatile adult characterisations. Vin Diesel who could be the true successor to Die Hard's Bruce Willis is wasted. His performance in Saving Private Ryan was commendable; he's passable in this one, too. Not his fault, really. There just isn’t much to work with.

The film is not a complete write-off. But it is no classic either. If you're a racing aficionado, it is worth your time and money. If you prefer ublic transport, save yourself the trouble and the money, there are better films playing.