Throwback Thursday Review: '2 Fast 2 Furious'

This week's Throwback Thursday Review is over 2 Fast 2 Furious as I continue my series of Fast & Furious reviews. Reviews you can expect for the remainder of the year include Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Collateral Beauty, Passengers, Sing, Assassin's Creed, Fences, and Throwback Thursday Reviews over The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious.

'2 Fast 2 Furious' Review

2 Fast 2 Furious is the subsequent installment in the Fast & Furious franchise following up The Fast and the Furious centered on ex-cop Brian O'Connor who's moved to Miami in hopes of starting anew. When he's approached by the FBI, he then must team up with former friend Roman Pierce to bust a prosperous drug dealer and clear both their records. 

John Singleton directed the sequel only to change up the formula by adding a buddy cop element, and while it's a laughable attempt it does at least shake things up. 2 Fast 2 Furious keeps up the streak established in the original; pitiful performances and a ridiculous script. Again, 2 Fast 2 Furious hasn't aged well; the CGI is dreadful, the early 2000s R & B soundtrack from David Arnold is poppy, and it still insists of being mindless high-speed entertainment. 

Michael Brandt and Derek Haas wrote up a screenplay that's self aware of how stupid it is as the dialogue is corny and the story feels like a video game mission. The cast fill the  one-dimensional characters but don't do much for their personalities. 

Paul Walker returns as Brian O'Connor and try as he might just falls flat onscreen. Walker says the cheesy dialogue but it just doesn't work because he lacks charisma. Tyrese Gibson on the other hand is as hammy as it gets in the role of Roman Pierce and manages to actually make it kind of work keeping this movie's engine running, it's no surprise he was brought back for later installments. Ludacris keeps it cool as Tej but has little to actually do aside from serve as a connection for O'Connor to run to when he needs assistance. 

Eva Mendes is about as sexualized as it gets in her role with little overall importance in the grand scheme of things. Cole Hauser plays Carter Verone as a fairly one dimensional villain with practically no motivation, he really doesn't add much to the proceedigs aside from being an antagonist.

2 Fast 2 Furious feels like a Need For Speed video game mixed with Lethal Weapon, but manages to be worse than both.

Film Assessment: D