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The Fast and the Furious Review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 3.0
    58

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Mixed or average reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 40

    out of 100

    The New York Times A.O. Scott

    Neither fast nor furious, this film belongs in the section of the supermarket where blah-white labels and big block lettering denote brandless cigarettes, vodka, crushed pineapple and, in this case, action picture.

    Read Full Review

  • 50

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

    Works hard to be exciting, but the movie scarcely lives up to its title. It could have used a bit of a fuel injection itself.

    Read Full Review

  • 63

    out of 100

    USA Today Susan Wloszczyna

    High-grade B flick about illegal street racing among gangs in Los Angeles applies the brakes only for the bare minimum of plot injection.

    Read Full Review

  • 63

    out of 100

    Chicago Tribune Mark Caro

    There's some undeniable appeal to watching a well-oiled, built-for-speed machine operating with its pedal to the metal -- even if it's destined to wind up in flames before the finish line.

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  • 75

    out of 100

    Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

    Not a great movie, but it delivers what it promises to deliver, and knows that a chase scene is supposed to be about something more than special effects.

    Read Full Review

  • 80

    out of 100

    Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

    The result is an intensely involving entertainment that can be enjoyed by viewers who scarcely know how their own cars work.

    Read Full Review

  • 80

    out of 100

    Variety Todd McCarthy

    A gritty and gratifying cheap thrill, Rob Cohen's high-octane hot-car meller is a true rarity these days, a really good exploitationer, the sort of thing that would rule at drive-ins if they still existed.

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  • 90

    out of 100

    Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

    Shrewdly conceived, confidently executed and outrageously entertaining.

  • See all The Fast and the Furious reviews at Metacritic.com

For Families provided by Common Sense Media

Iffy for 14+

This is a bad, bad movie. Skip it.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this is as close to an R as it can be and remain a PG-13. It's very violent, with shoot-outs that leave one character dead and another seriously wounded. A character takes one risk that appears suicidal. Characters drink and smoke. Corona beer seems to be an especially obvious product placement, and giving someone a beer is a gesture of honor and acceptance. There is a same-sex kiss, some skanky behavior, and women appear in scanty clothing. There's a non-graphic but explicit sexual situation. Characters use very strong language, including the "N" word and other racial slurs. Viewers see some gross photographs of an injured man. Characters are in extreme peril, both in racing and in shoot-outs. Robbing and shooting are sympathetically portrayed, and Brian's ultimate decision is a serious betrayal.

  • Families can talk about the way that even outcasts create families, as where Dom presides over a barbecue dinner that is like a cover illustration from Tatooed Biker done by Norman Rockwell. They even say grace. They could also talk about the people who do not tell each other the truth, and those who make the decision to violate the law to make things easier for themselves.

The good stuff
  • rolemodels true0

    Role models: Gangs mostly divide along racial lines, strong women characters but also many bimbos.

What to watch for
  • violence false5

    Violence: Chases, shoot-outs, characters injured and killed Charaters in peril

  • sex false3

    Sex: Sexual references and brief sexual situation, bimbo behavior

  • language false5

    Language: Very strong language, including the n-word

  • consumerism false0

    Consumerism: Not an issue

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters drink and smoke

Fan Reviews provided by

5


4

by scott1000012214

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