*In 2001, a movie starring Vin Diesel as a street car racer and Paul Walker as a cop made a splash with movie goers. The Fast and the Furious, which grossed more than $200 million in the U.S., started a phenomenon that so far has no sign of slowing down.
In April 2017, The Fate of the Furious, the eighth installment of the insanely popular movie series, hit the big screen, where it has already made a whopping $1.1 billion.
What is it about the Fast and Furious movies that bring us back for more? It’s not every day that we see a movie franchise last as long, make as much money or gain more fans as each film is released. Some of the following reasons help explain why movie goers will always love these street racing movies:
1. The Amazing Cars
Fast and Furious movies focus on street racing, so there are plenty of incredible and fast cars to admire in each film. As Movie Pilot notes, there is a car for everyone in these movies — from Brian’s Skyline to Dom’s Dodge Charger and more. What’s also interesting to fans is that many of the tricked-out vehicles don’t seem all that out of reach; you could technically tweak your own ride to give it a Fast and Furious vibe.
For example, spring for some tough-looking and powerful Cooper Discoverer STT Pro tires from a reputable retailer like TireBuyer.com. In addition, you can make other budget-friendly changes to your ride to make you feel as though you’re starring in the latest Fast and Furious movie.
2. A Broad Group of Characters
Another reason we love the Fast and Furious series is the diverse, melting pot group of actors who star in these movies. As Red Bulletin notes, the late Paul Walker was Caucasian, Diesel is Italian-American and Dwayne Johnson has Samoan roots. Israeli Gal Gadot and Sung Kang, whose parents are South Korean immigrants, help to round out a culturally diverse group of characters. By including actors from such a broad range of backgrounds, the movies show how each actor or actress, regardless of where they are from, can work together to fight for important goals.
3. The Stunts
Originally, the stunts in the Fast and the Furious movies focused mostly on drifting and car chases. As the franchise has grown and released more films, the stunts have really gone over the top at times, with breathtaking cliff jumps, skydiving cars, cars that take out tanks and much more. Of course, all these amazing automotive feats help explain why these movies now have budget that make the price of admission all worth it.
4. Character and Plot Development
Despite the fast cars, fights, stunts and special effects, we might not come back for more if we didn’t have some sort of connection to one or more Fast and Furious characters. The writers have done a great job of character development over the course of the movie installments.
Yes, we tend to meet new characters along the way, but we also get to know the regulars and their quirks as well as what makes them human and likeable. As a side note, the fact that these movies have evolved over time from focusing mostly on street racing to having more developed story lines shows this movie franchise is no danger of becoming stale or stopping any time soon.
