The Fast and the Furious does not forget to tell a story, as many summer blockbusters do, but story is not the focus. This movie exists to show off sleek cars and macho posturing. It's the cinematic equivalent of glamour photography, except the subject is guys and guy toys and attitude instead of anorexic fashion models. Even major plot elements are employed for the "cool" factor rather than practicality. It's well done, but so what?

I suppose I would have liked this movie if I cared about cars, hung out with people like these, or listened to the nasty pounding music on the soundtrack. All the same, I did find myself inexplicably caring about the characters in the second half, and there's a humdinger of a climax.