The Fast/Break parallel
If this site had some sort of breaking news graphic, this bombshell that was passed along to me from my friend Jeff Harnisch via email would definitely warrant it. Be advised “The Fast and the Furious” fans that all you believe in might be crushed if you read on.
I watched “The Fast and the Furious” today for the first time because I felt like watching something mindless. Holy shit, that movie is a rip-off of “Point Break.” Hard to believe. The following similarities:
1.) Stone-faced, rigid lead actor with poor acting skills (Keanu Reeves/Paul Walker).
2.) Number 1 is an undercover cop trying to infiltrate a group of guys who do some seriously illegal shit (rob banks/hijack trucks) to fund their passion (surfing/making Honda Civics into rocket cars).
3.) There is a lady friend in the gang who they develop “real” feelings for (Lori Petty/some chick who plays Vin Diesel’s sister).
4.) Very early in the infiltration members of the gang question the motives of the “new guy” only to have the leader (Swayze/Diesel) back the “new guy” up.
5.) At some point in the process of trying to build a case, an assumption is made about another gang that they are the cause of the malfeasance, the FBI/police raid and find out that they were NOT the criminals they were after (Anthony Keidis’ gang/the Asian gang).
6.) They are found out, obviously, and the last “job” goes horribly astray.
7.) In the end, the good guy let’s the bad guy go, and gives up the badge. The badge part is a cheat, but in the trailer to 2 Fast 2
Furious they show Paul Walker hanging up his badge and beating town. In both cases, the mutual respect and friendship between the good
and bad is shown.
Nice try, Hollywood. Why don’t you stick to remaking crappy TV shows instead of retreading over crappy movies, alright?
November 7th, 2005 at 1:11 pm
Heh, I noticed this when it came out. Terrible film(s), but good for a couple of hours of mindless amusements I suppose.
November 7th, 2005 at 10:03 pm
Whoa, hold on there. Bash the Fast and the Furious all you want, but what did poor Point Break do? That is one of the “the” movies from the early 90’s. It’s like ripping the Karate Kid or Porkies? Sure, they never won an Oscar but they were a milestone for their generation. Point out your plot holes elsewhere!