Viewed on 05 Aug 03  
        With 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS,  product placement finally comes of age.  The film was obviously sponsored entirely by Mitsubishi Motors - while Universal Studios attempted to maintain the facade by putting a dummy "Producer" on the credits to fool some of the people some of the time.  The difficult part, handled ably by Director John Singleton, was to find a way to wrap a movie around all the Mitsubishi promo footage.  -So if you make the same mistake I did, and you actually go see this film, don't go blaming Singleton.
        Vin Diesel could have stayed with this sequel, but wisely told Universal-Mitsubishi where they could stick their script - which shows he has more brains than anyone has given him credit for heretofore. Mitsubishi and Universal obviously agreed that if they mixed in a little Dukes of Hazzard, more than a little Miami Vice, some Smokey and The Bandits, and Annette Funicello's Beach Party they would have a sure-fire hit. What they came up with instead, was a 100-minute-long costume-party music video - suspiciously resembling the now-popular video game Grand Theft Auto - Vice City.
        But just as we thought the producers couldn't possibly show more contempt for us, the viewing public, we begin to realize that 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS is yet another "buddy pic".  How does one recognize a "buddy pic"?  We first notice, strangely, that none of the lead men have girlfriends.  We also notice there is a flood of spontaneous over-the-top macho horse-manure that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the plot. Lastly, the film ends with the two guys planning their future together - this time with an armload of drug money - and going off into the sunset to live happily ever after.  And you wonder why Vin Diesel told them to take this film and shove it?   And if you think this is a 'spoiler review', just thank me for doing you this great favor.
        LEAST   Enduring Line or Phrase:  "Let's see what this thing can do."


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