Back when the series was still about cars, 2 Fast 2 Furious took the series to a whole other level. For better or worse, the movie doubled down on the neon lights, the Japanese imports, and the street racing.
Although the movie might not be the most well-received of the series, there’s still a lot to love about it. After all, it features some of the most interesting side characters, introducing Tej and Rome, who are now two of the best characters that the series wouldn’t be the same without. On top of that, there are some incredible action scenes, and with the Miami backdrop, it’s the most fun movie in the entire Fast & Furious franchise.
The Prelude
The Turbo Charged Prelude for 2 Fast 2 Furious is a short film that fills audiences in on what happened between the first and second movie, and though it isn’t technically a part of the actual movie, it was screened before the film in theatres.
This prelude clearly had a minuscule budget, but it’s still fun as it follows Brian and reveals how he first got his hands on the iconic Nissan Skyline. He’s on the run from the cops after he let Dom go at the end of the first movie, and then eventually lands in Miami, which is where 2 Fast 2 Furious begins.
The Money Run
After fighting with Verone’s men for the whole movie, Rome and Brian are forced to let bygones be bygones and work with them in collecting the money hidden in the trailer park.
When the local PD comes close to catching them, Rome puts a brick on a nearby SUV’s accelerator, which then crashes into the convoy of cops. What follows is the undercover boys bonding with Verone’s men and an incredible chase scene, which still stands as one of the series’ best.
The Briefing With The FBI
There isn’t any action in this scene, as it comes after Brian is captured by the FBI and is almost begged to go undercover again. He is briefed by Agent Markham and his old friend Agent Bilkins from the first movie, and is told about Carter Verone and Monica.
However, the best moment of the whole scene isn’t all of the exposition, but when Brain is told who his partner is going to be: the guy drinking an enormous cup of soda in the corner.
The First Street Race
In The Fast and The Furious, the main street race didn’t exactly have many bells and whistles. It was a simple drag race where Brian, Dom, and others drove in a straight line really fast. But the first street race in the sequel improves on the thrills tenfold.
Not only are the viewers introduced to Suki and Orange Julius, (who are two of the characters from the movie that need to return to the series), but it’s a circuit race with loads of sharp turns. On top of that, the race ends with a jump over a bridge, foreshadowing what comes at the end of the movie.
The Nightclub Scene
Carter Verone might be a bit of a weak villain, but he’s entertaining and one of the characters from the series who could have had their own spin-off movie. And though many of his lines come off cheesy and he comes across as an off-brand Scarface, he can be incredibly sinister.
In such a fun movie, the nightclub scene sticks out like a sore thumb, and it’s terrifically horrific. Bribing dirty cops isn’t Verone’s way and the audience learns how threatening he can be when he ends up brutally torturing a detective to get the information he wants. It was at this moment that Brian and Rome realized what they were up against.
The Race To The Impound Lot
To test the racers before he settles on who to recruit, Verone makes Rome and Brian race to an impound lot where one of his cars is located.
The race is ridiculous, and though they’re undercover and should be taking the task at hand extremely seriously, Brian and Rome are having tons of fun speeding around highways.
The Stare And Drive
Everyone knows that Brian has only ever truly loved Mia, but in 2 Fast 2 Furious, he briefly engages in a romance with Monica Fuentes (played by Eva Mendes, who is probably one of the characters you forgot was in the series). When trying to impress Monica, Brian attempts to come across as 'smooth' move by attempting the stare and drive.
Brian stares at Monica while speeding along a quiet Miami street before coming to a sudden halt at a traffic light, only for Rome to become extremely jealous and claim that Brian stole his move.
The Brian And Rome Reunion
As Dom doesn’t appear in 2 Fast 2 Furious, Brian still needs a partner to bounce off as the bromance and camaraderie is integral to the series, especially in the early days. When Brian is introduced to Rome, there is immediate on-screen chemistry. According to Brian and Rome, they were best friends from such a young age, and it shows right from the moment they start wrestling each other outside the derby.
The Boat Jump
Being one of the wealthiest villains of the series and living in Miami, of course Verone owns a giant Yacht. After ordering his men to kill Brian, the deadly mobster sets out on a voyage after he has taken Monica hostage and the cash. However, it doesn’t go exactly according to plan.
Brian speeds along waterfront in a muscle car, trying to catch up with the boat. When he reaches a ramp, the car glides through the air and slams in to the top floor of the yacht. Considering how the action in the Fast & Furious franchise has become almost entirely CGI, the boat jump is impressive in that it actually happened, and it looks insanely hard to pull off.
The Car Scramble
What sets 2 Fast 2 Furious apart from its predecessor is that, though the stakes may not be anywhere near as high, it’s still fun to watch, and the car scramble is a shining example of this. After Rome and Brian have found themselves between a rock and a hard place, they concoct an ingenious plan to get police detection and Verone's men.
Rome and Brian drive into a huge garage after the money run while a whole convoy of police patiently wait for them to come back out. Then, about 50 cars speed out of the garage, confusing the cops and leading to Rome and Brian’s escape.