The best line in the third “Fast & Furious” feature, and maybe the entire franchise, comes during a throwaway moment between the star and his budding love interest.
Said interest asks, “does it matter where I come from?” regarding her heritage.
That’s the franchise’s biggest selling point – the blurring of cultures to the point which racial bigotry is shoved aside in favor of cardboard characters and the need for speed.
Oh, and the insane maelstrom of colors, sights and sounds come in a close second.
Remarkably, the franchise didn’t run out of gas the third time around. “Tokyo Drift” shakes up the cast – no Paul Walker, no Vin Diesel – and drops the formula smack in the middle of Japan.
Smart.
Lucas Black (“Sling Blade”) stars as Sean, a raceaholic who gets in so much trouble during the frenzied opening scene that his mom carts him off to Tokyo to live with his pappy.
Naturally, Sean can’t stay away from racing, so he immediately gets into it with local legend, DK (Brian Tee, a terrific villain). He even steals DK’s girl, played blandly by Nathalie Kelley.
But it’s all about the racing, isn’t it, that whirlwind of cars driving around CGI bends. This time, the gimmick is “drifting” – when a car hits a curve and drifts through it, almost as if it’s riding atop a cushion of air.
That twist, and the day-glo Tokyo backdrops, are all reason enough to give this sequel a gander.
And, “F&F” fans are rewarded by a great cameo in the closing moments, one that just might connect the film to the upcoming sequel, the stripped down “Fast & Furious.”
Related posts:
on 
on 
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m a fan of these films because I’m a fan of fast cars and car design. You have to remember that the stars are the cars, not the people mouthing funny words and emoting. These films depict the cars and races lovingly if not realistically.
Of interest was the way they got around high school bullying in Japan, by showing it as worse in the US. I could have done without that part.
K – was also fascinating how they showed the hip hop US teen culture transferred mostly intact to Japan. Dunno if that’s the case or not …
And yeah, the cars are the stars … but don’t tell that to Vin Diesel.