With the exception of supporting player Thom Barry, Paul Walker was the only original cast member to return for this sequel. Instead of Vin Diesel, we have Tyrese Gibson and instead of Jordana Brewster, we have Eva Mendes. Whereas the first film took place in California, we now catch up to former police detective Brian O’Connor, living and driving in Florida.
His new life is interrupted when his former boss (Barry) shows up to offer him a deal. If he will integrate himself in with a Miami drug exporter and report what he finds, the FBI will wipe Brian’s criminal actions, committed in the first film, from his record. Yeah, it is pretty much more of the same only this time the mark in question lives in a beautiful mansion instead of a modest home in the hood and instead of Walker’s loyalty being questioned it is Mendes’s as an undercover agent.
With the exception of two stunts, the movie stays within the realm of reality. The first race in the movie features Walker just behind Amaury Nolasco when they approach a lift bridge. Nolasco goes for it and Walker follows, jumping over Nolasco’s car when both are in midair. The second is near the end when Walker jumps his car from a road onto a moving yacht.
The natural commanding presence of Vin Diesel is sorely missed. Tyrese Gibson brings little to the table and O’Connor is never defined. Other than some references to the first film, we never learn anything of his past. With Walker’s looks and mannerisms, he seems more like an educated upper middle class young man talking down to his street racing friends than a real gear head. His delivery of such lines as, “Y’all lets break.” and “Saved my ass bro.” never seem natural to him. What makes those lines seem even phonier is that O’Connor’s catch phrase is, “How about them apples.” The last guy who used that line was Matt Damon playing a mathematical genius in Good Will Hunting (1997).
The first film featured O’Connor making friends with characters who may or may not be criminals. Even O’Connor’s loyalty was challenged. Other than some unconvincing suggestions that Mendes’s character may have flipped, the good guys and the bad guys here are as clear as black and white. Nothing is ever in doubt.
The plot is like an episode of Miami Vice with less pastel colored clothes. The cars are shiny. The dialogue, “Yo, Jimmy, man, give me the status. Tell me we good.” is forced. There is zero character development. 2 Fast 2 Furious was a completely unnecessary sequel.
