While the two actors looked great throwing the car into drive, it’s not the most unpredictable combination of characters.

The ex-cop and ex-con team up to help the Feds catch some big time Miami smuggler, played by Cole Hauser. By cooperating with the authorities (one of which is the beautiful Eva Mendes), both will have their dirty criminal records wiped clean. Racing in the name of justice, the two manage to wow the audience with fixed-up import cars and life-endangering highway maneuvers made to look recklessly easy.

Asian-American actors got behind the wheel as well.

Devon Aoki plays Suki, a female street racer and friend to the ex-cop and ex-con duo. Aoki is a Japanese/German-English American who was brought up in California and currently resides in New York. In the movie, she drives a fixed-up, hot pink S2000 with an interior computer screen displaying an animated cartoon of a cute, dollish little Asian girl. The resemblance they share is almost frightening.

Asian-American freestyle artist and rapper Jin Auyeung was also featured as Brian’s trusted friend and skilled mechanic. Jin, who goes by “Jin Tha MC” to his music audience has recently been signed on with the Ruff Ryders music label and is releasing his first album this June.

In the sequel, the Asian-American actors played much less stereotypical roles. No longer were themes of “honor” and “disgrace” highlighted in the traditional Asian family context. The Asian-American characters were a part of their street-racing culture, not one stereotypically and ethnically of their own.

So the film wasn’t exactly filled with three-dimensional characters, nor did it profoundly explore the human condition. But it did have fast cars and scantily clad import models.

And as most might anticipate, the sequel to “The Fast and the Furious” was not without its share of bad acting. But this time, the general feeling was “hey, it wasn’t that bad.” And for the motor and street-racing enthusiasts, “2 Fast 2 Furious” answers the ever-present need for cars, action, and nitrous oxide.

So if you didn’t mind the weak performance of the first one, you’ll probably be in love with this one. There was only one question that begged my mind.

Where did Vin Diesel go?

June 4, 2003