# The Decline of Western Civilization, Part 4,672: Fast and Furious **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089 "2009-02-02T05:32:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/1 "2009-02-02T05:32:50Z")
I saw the douchebags from this film barking about their “new” film coming out in April during the Superbowl pre-hype, I mean pregame show. Then I said to myself, “Hey, isn’t that an old movie?” The actors even referenced the fact that the first film they did was done 10 years ago. So I’m thumping my head figuring out how it’s possible to release a film WITH THE SAME FUCKING NAME as the prequel. Then I realize that the original was called _ **The** Fast and **The** Furious._ If you want to see this movie, you’re a jerk for encouraging this kind of behavior. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/2 "2009-02-02T06:12:01Z")
But it is still less stupid than “The Fast & The Furious: Tokyo Drift”. ---
**Author:** ![Orual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orual)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/3 "2009-02-02T06:13:17Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > If you want to see this movie, you’re a jerk for encouraging this kind of behavior. Naw, I just like looking at Vin Diesel. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/4 "2009-02-02T23:59:50Z")
> [@Orual](#): > > Naw, I just like looking at Vin Diesel. Why did “The Fast and the Furious” get two sequels, while the much more entertaining “xXx” not get one? Vin Diesel is a lot better actor than he gets credit for being. Check his work in [Boiler Room](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181984/) or [Find Me Guilty](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419749/). Even in something as joyfully stupid as xXx, he brings things to the roll like the plaintive way he tries to get the woman to dance with his “Hey, I’m a really good dancer!” ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/5 "2009-02-03T00:07:07Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Why did “The Fast and the Furious” get two sequels, while the much more entertaining “xXx” not get one? > … Unless you’re intentionally ignoring it: [xXx: State of the Union](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329774/) ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/6 "2009-02-03T00:15:59Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Unless you’re intentionally ignoring it: [xXx: State of the Union](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0329774/) I had completely forgot about that one. Easy enough, as neither the director or lead was in it. But there is a news bit that both are planning to return for a sequel. ---
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/7 "2009-02-03T00:21:56Z")
Honestly, I am all kinds of pumped for this. Loved the first one, didn’t watch the others because they didn’t have Vin Diesel and Paul Walker (not that I don’t realize that Paul Walker has all the acting talent of a grocery bag, I just like the characters\*). Definitely going to be dragging the roommates to this one. \*I might as well finish off the disclaimer: yeah, it’s not high art. But it is fun! ---
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/8 "2009-02-03T00:31:13Z")
I think they (the producers, directors, et al) are just trying to cash in on Franchise Reboot Mania. Batman is the series that has most notably achieved critical acclaim and financial success after rebooting (with Batman Begins). James Bond achieved a similar effect with Casino Royale. The same thing is trying to be done with the Incredible Hulk, too. I shouldn’t be surprised here, but there’s a [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reboot_(fiction)) about rebooting in fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/9 "2009-02-03T00:36:24Z")
Its shiny cars that go VROOOM! and SQEEEEEEAAAL and VrroooooWWWWMM and there’s explosions and probably gratuitous nudity. What more does one need in one’s escapist fantasies? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/10 "2009-02-03T01:06:49Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > So I’m thumping my head figuring out how it’s possible to release a film WITH THE SAME FUCKING NAME as the prequel. Then I realize that the original was called _ **The** Fast and **The** Furious._ That’s not completely accurate. Based on the IMDB listing, they’ve changed the “and” to “&”, in addition to dropping the “The”. So it’s a _completely different title_. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/11 "2009-02-03T01:12:22Z")
I wish they’d used the original’s title as part of a franchise branding effort, numbered it, then used the new title as a post-colon subtitle. Like this: _The Fast and the Furious 3: Fast & Furious_ Because that would be awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/12 "2009-02-03T07:44:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > That’s not completely accurate. Based on the IMDB listing, they’ve changed the “and” to “&”, in addition to dropping the “The”. So it’s a _completely different title_. My bad, **Dewey** 🆒 I wonder how many dumbass twentysomethings will die recreating their favorite scenes from this “film?” ---
**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/13 "2009-02-03T12:10:35Z")
I’ll wait for the DVD, since I figure I’ve already seen part of the best scene in the movie. The one in the commercial, where what appears to be an '87 Buick Grand National gets driven _under_ the oncoming rolling, flipping, bouncing, burning tanker truck. I figure there’s gotta be 30 seconds of good film there. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/14 "2009-02-03T13:20:43Z")
> [@hobscrk777](#): > > I think they (the producers, directors, et al) are just trying to cash in on Franchise Reboot Mania This a reboot? They can’t just show more “shiny cars that go VROOOM! and SQEEEEEEAAAL and VrroooooWWWWMM” and then include explosions and gratuitous nudity (see above)? ---
**Author:** ![ProfessorX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@ProfessorX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProfessorX)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/15 "2009-02-03T16:06:30Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Why did “The Fast and the Furious” get two sequels, while the much more entertaining “xXx” not get one? > > Vin Diesel is a lot better actor than he gets credit for being. Check his work in [Boiler Room](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0181984/) or [Find Me Guilty](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419749/). Even in something as joyfully stupid as xXx, he brings things to the roll like the plaintive way he tries to get the woman to dance with his “Hey, I’m a really good dancer!” This actually did get a sequel with Ice Cube and there’s a 3rd one coming with Vin Diesel back in the lead role. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Bongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Winston\_Bongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Bongo)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/16 "2009-02-03T16:22:28Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I wish they’d used the original’s title as part of a franchise branding effort, numbered it, then used the new title as a post-colon subtitle. Like this: > > _The Fast and the Furious 3: > Fast & Furious_ > > Because that would be awesome. I’m looking forward to _The Fast and the Furious 4: Faster & Furiouser_. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/17 "2009-02-03T18:04:45Z")
When Paul Walker said, “Things have changed” or whatever in the trailer, I thought I had stumbled upon the broadcast of The Flattest Delivery Of A Line In The History of Movies contest. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/18 "2009-02-03T21:02:05Z")
This is more like a Vin Diesel career reboot, if you ask me. With both the original F&F and xXx, when it came to sequel time he didn’t want to be a part of it. Asking too much $$$ - too good for this lightweight stuff, I guess. No instead he headed straight for that sure fire Oscar contender [The Pacifier](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395699/). ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-decline-of-western-civilization-part-4-672-fast-and-furious/484089/19 "2009-02-03T23:02:48Z")
As soon as I saw the trailer for this on TV I knew I had to post in this thread. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, [Hotel for Dogs](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0785006/).