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Ultra HD : Recommended
Ranking:
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Release Date: October 2nd, 2018 Movie Release Year: 2001

The Fast and the Furious - 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Overview -

Featuring one of Vin Diesel's best and most memorable roles, The Fast and the Furious is ultimately an excuse to see lots of fast cars, enjoy some vehicular mayhem and make street racing look legitimately cool, which it does successfully. The crime thriller drives up to the 4K Ultra HD racecourse with a spiffy HDR10 makeover, an excellent DTS:X soundtrack and the same set of supplements as the Blu-ray. Overall, UHD package is Recommended

Dominic Toretto drives the streets of LA like he owns them. As far as his crew is concerned, he does. He spends his days rebuilding high performance race cars and perfecting the art of computer controlled fuel injection. By night, Dom pockets up to $10,000 each time someone dares to race him in his own earth-bound rocket of a car. Dom lives off of the adrenaline of street car racing and his fans treat him like a rock star. Brian particularly looks up to Dominic and seeks his approval, but to the rest of the crowd, he's white bread. After a blazing encounter with the ruthless Johnny Tran, Dom decides to take Brian under his wing. Dom's sister Mia sees something she likes in Brian, too. Trouble is, neither of them realize he's an undercover cop and Dominic and his rival Johnny Tran are both the leading suspects in a case involving dirty money and big-rig hijacking.

OVERALL:
Recommended
Rating Breakdown
STORY
VIDEO
AUDIO
SPECIAL FEATURES
Tech Specs & Release Details
Technical Specs:
Two-Disc UHD Combo Pack, UHD-66 Dual-Layer Disc / BD-50 Dual-Layer Disc, Region Free
Video Resolution/Codec:
2160p HEVC/H.265, HDR10
Length:
106
Aspect Ratio(s):
2.39:1
Audio Formats:
Spanish DTS 5.1
Subtitles/Captions:
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Special Features:
Digital HD Copy
Release Date:
October 2nd, 2018

Storyline: Our Reviewer's Take

Ranking:

(Written by Peter Bracke for his review of the original Blu-ray.)

What is it about watching car crashes on screen that endlessly fascinates moviegoers? They are the auto-mechanical equivalent of slasher movies, and you'd think that there would only be so many ways to destroy a car. Yet we continue to flock to these movies, our appetite to see all makes and models of automobile crashed, smashed and blown to bits apparently insatiable.

Perhaps the best piece of car porn ever put on screen, the original The Fast and the Furious remains the best of the [massively successful] franchise. The story is a fairly formulaic crime thriller, but who needs plot when you have lots of good-looking people driving fast cars and blowing things up? Paul Walker stars as undercover cop Brian O'Conner. He's assigned to infiltrate the underworld subculture of Los Angeles "street racing," where impossibly good-looking teenagers (who all apparently have unlimited financial resources) jack up hot cars and challenge each other to death-defying, late-night competitions. O'Conner befriends the king of the circuit, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), but will soon question that loyalty when Toretto and his posse become the prime suspects in a car hijacking ring. Eventually, O'Conner will have to put his newfound street racing skills to the test if he's going to bust the thugs, get the girl, and beat Toretto at his own game.

The Fast and the Furious is not a movie that appeals to the intellect. But what it does, it does fabulously. Action über-meister Rob Cohen (xXx, Stealth) directs with the gas pedal pressed all the way to the floor. The lighting, the music, the editing and the action are all pumped to the max, so the film is pure audiovisual eye candy. Take the scene where a group of feds bust in on the lair of Johnny Tran (Rick Yune). Cohen stages the scene like a music video with a blaring neo-industrial song on the soundtrack, lots of slo-mo, and not a single word of dialogue. No, this is not art on the level of European mise-en-scène, but I still have to hand it to Cohen. He revels in telling his stories as pure cinema (even if it is of the MTV variety), and so — unlike most of his contemporaries — he at least has a consistent stylistic aesthetic to critique.

Then there is the action. Though I found the early street racing scenes the least interesting and most far-fetched, The Fast and the Furious really kicks into gear in the second half. There is one extended sequence involving a careening semi-truck that remains one of the most exciting action sequences I've seen. I also liked the climactic daytime street race between Diesel and Walker, which is truly white-knuckle viewing. There is something to be said for pure entertainment movies like The Fast and the Furious, which elevate a threadbare plot and clichéd characters through sheer force of their style, and turn out to be far better than they have any need to be. As far as car-porn films go, this one is up there on my top five list with Bullitt, The Road Warrior and Speed, regardless of how stupid it may be.

Vital Disc Stats: The Ultra HD Blu-ray

Universal Studios Home Entertainment brings The Fast and the Furious to 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray as a two-disc combo pack with a flyer code for a Digital Copy. When redeeming said code via UPHE.com and Movies Anywhere, users are given access to the 4K HDR10 version with 5.1 Dolby Digital Plus. The dual-layered UHD66 disc sits comfortably opposite a Region Free, BD50 disc inside a black, eco-vortex case with a glossy slipcover. At startup, the disc goes straight to the usual menu window with options along the left-side of the screen, full-motion clips and music playing in the background. 

Video Review

Ranking:

Sporting some serious mods to an already good-looking vehicle from 2009, the car-themed crime thriller enjoys a spiffy makeover thanks largely to a fresh paint job of a great-looking HEVC H.265 encode. Definition doesn't quite make the nice, clean jump fans were likely hoping for, but it crosses the finish line with a welcomed uptick, showing slightly improved details throughout. Viewers can better make out the cool design and features of each car, every nook and cranny of the Toretto house is exposed, and facial complexions are revealing with excellent lifelike textures during close-ups. Originally shot in traditional 35mm film, the 2160p transfer comes with its fair share of soft, somewhat poorly-resolved moments, but thankfully, it's nothing too egregious and the picture is awash in a thin layer of natural grain, giving it a nice film-like appearance. Black levels are also notably richer, giving several of the vehicles a silky, eye-catching polish, especially Dominic's 1970 Dodge Charger, and strong shadow detailing provides appreciable dimensionality.

Presented in its original 2.39:1 image, the 4K presentation displays outstanding contrast compared to the Blu-ray, showing brighter, crisper whites throughout. Many of the vehicles, in particular, come with an awesome gloss that beams in the sun while the shiny, gray-lining of decals have a brilliant glaze. Of course, it helps that specular highlights are one of the most attractive features of this HDR10 video, providing those cars, their decals and metal trimmings with a radiant, glistening sparkle without sacrificing the finer details. Meanwhile, the various colors of the supped-up cars shine and pop with intense brilliance. The greens, reds and blues dazzle the screen with a richer, sumptuous glow than its HD SDR counterpart. At the same time, secondary hues also appear more resplendent with a bit more variation in the palette, and the tangerine oranges, butter yellows, chartreuse greens and cerulean blues of cars are some of the movie's flashiest moments while flesh tones appear rosier and more natural to the Southern California climate. (Video Rating: 76/100)

Audio Review

Ranking:

The supercharged actioner takes to the Ultra HD racecourse with a fantastic DTS:X soundtrack, but compared to its DTS-HD MA counterpart, it comes in second. That is not to say or suggest this object-based option is severely lacking or falls short of excellence because the track crosses the finish line with satisfying results. As awesome as it is, however, it only offers minor improvements over its predecessor with a few atmospherics here and there traveling to the ceiling channels, nicely enhancing the action into a very subtle hemispheric soundfield. Occasionally, the design feels immersive in a couple moments, but it's not very consistent, leaving noticeable gaps of silence from time to time. The track's greatest strength is in the surrounds where various effects flawlessly pan from the fronts to the sides and rears, better enveloping the listening area. 

Better still, the soundstage benefits from a slightly broader, more spacious presence as background activity convincingly moves across the screen, generating a wide and highly-engaging environ. Some of that ambient noise and the echo of the roaring engines running through the streets expands into the front heights, creating an amusing half-dome effect. The mid-range comes with a bit more clarity and separation during the loudest segments while the music and song selections enjoy outstanding fidelity and warmth. Meanwhile, dialogue is crystal clear and precise from beginning to end and never drowned out by the vehicular mayhem. Frankly, the low-end doesn't appear to improve much, which is not a bad thing since the booming, grumbling engines come with hefty, rumbling vibrations and explosions thrill with a punchy, bombastic oomph. (Audio Rating: 86/100)

Special Features

Ranking:

Aside from the commentary track, all the special features are located on the Blu-ray.

  • Audio Commentary: There was a screen-specific audio commentary on the original DVD release that you can listen to here as a standard audio-only track, or as the basis for "Enhanced Viewing Mode." Toggle this on, and while Cohen is commenting on the movie, a little icon will appear at various times that, if selected, will take you to a small segment of video footage. Throughout, Cohen is full of energy, as if he's trying to cram as much information as possible into 107 minutes. While the director may take the subject matter a bit too seriously (he actually compares The Fast and the Furious to a "modern John Ford western"), he's is also refreshingly honest about the film's arguable failures, such as the lame undercover subplot. If it weren't for Cohen's attempts to be hip by throwing in cringe-inducing bits of street lingo (sorry, those over the age of 40 should not be allowed to say things like "dope ass"), I'd say I came away as a bit of fan.
  • The Fast and the Furious Video Mash-Up (HD): Interactive editing app allowing users to piece together a short video with various film clips and music. 
  • Tricking Out a Hot Import Car (SD, 19 min): Hosted by Playboy Playmate Dalene Kurtis, this is essentially an interview with stunt coordinator Craig Lieberman, who shows us how a "hot car" is pimped out. Truth be told, this is actually kind of interesting stuff, despite the tasteless pandering to the T&A crowd.
  • The Making of The Fast and the Furious (SD, 18 min): This is Universal's typical "Spotlight On Location" EPK. Snappy and sleek, we get 2001-era interviews with director Rob Cohen, stunt coordinators Mic Rodgers and Mike Justus, and cast including Walker, Vin Diesel and Jordana Brewster, plus the usual quick-cut behind-the-scenes production footage. Aside from a few laugh-out loud lines ("This is a cast of great depth!" proclaims Cohen), this is totally forgettable fluff. 
  • Quarter Mile at a Time (SD, 10 min): Car experts and historians provide some interesting history on the origins of car racing and their love for driving fast. 
  • Movie Magic (SD, 7 min): This offers various effects "plates" of three scenes, including the final composite.
  • Turbo-Charged Prelude to 2 Fast 2 Furious (SD, 6 min): An "electrifying" short meant to bridge the original flick with the sequel. However, what is essentially a montage of Walker driving in a car feels more like a long outtake than a narrative short film. Pretty forgettable. 
  • Hot off the Street (SD, 5 min): Five scenes that function as extended sequences but would serve better as part of the deleted scenes package. 
  • Editing for the Motion Picture Association (SD, 5 min): Since the studio mandate was a PG-13 rating, some judicious editing was required to make the film kinetic and exciting while still not too graphic. Director Rob Cohen and editor Peter Honess take us through an editing session during the process. Interesting stuff. 
  • Dom's Charger (1080i/60, 4 min): Vin Diesel and other crew members talk about the car and its role in the series with a few tidbits on its build. 
  • More Than Furious (SD, 4 min): Watch and compare Brian's first street race with the original storyboards. 
  • Visual Effects Montage (SD, 4 min): Featurette mixing blue screen plates, storyboards, composites and CGI renderings, all to the tune of a grating techno beat. 
  • Alternate Ending (SD, 2 min): An alternate finish with Brian and Mia. 
  • Multiple Camera Angle Stunt Sequence (SD, 1 min): A bit more interactive are two multi-angle peeks at the film's stunts. "The Multiple Camera Angle Stunt Sequence" offers a view of the final stunt car flip (running just 20 seconds) from no less than eight different angles. 
  • Paul Walker Public Service Announcement (SD, 1 min): Exactly what it sounds like with the actor advising viewers to drive safe and not imitate the car stunts of the film. 
  • Music Video (SD,): We get three clips, for "Furious" by Ja Rule, "Click Click Boom" by Saliva, and an "Edited for Language" version of "POV City Anthem" by Caddillac Tah. 
  • Deleted Scenes (SD, 6 min): Collection of eight deleted and extended scenes with optional director's commentary track. 
  • Trailers (SD): The original theatrical preview is joined by a sneak peek to 2 Fast 2 Furious

Final Thoughts

Frankly, due to its absurdly simplistic script, The Fast and the Furious is ultimately an excuse to see lots of fast cars, enjoy some vehicular mayhem and make street racing look legitimately cool. And funny enough, the movie succeeds on that end, still entertaining after all these years and featuring one of Vin Diesel's best and most memorable roles thanks to a Point Break­-lite plot that doesn't demand much of its cast. The crime thriller enjoys a spiffy makeover on 4K Ultra HD, offering an improved and enhanced performance vehicle that leaves its HD SDR counterpart in the dust while revving an excellent DTS:X soundtrack under the hood. With the same set of supplements as the Blu-ray, the overall UHD package is Recommended for fans looking to upgrade their previous HD edition.