Fast and Furious movies in order
The Fast & Furious movies are everything high-octane movie lovers dream of. Fabulous cars, incredible chases, amazing stunts, and a complex underlying theme of ‘family is everything’ make this franchise one of the most successful of all time. If you want to watch the Fast & Furious movies in order, we’ve put together a Fast & Furious movie list so you can follow the themes and see how the various relationships between the main characters develop over the years.
The stunts are enormous, the dialogue is, well, okay, it's not Shakespeare, but it's certainly relatable, and the characters are ones we genuinely come to care about. Let’s take a look at the Fast & Furious movies in order.
The Fast and the Furious – 2001
The original, and many say still the best, The Fast and the Furious delved deep into the world of illegal street racing. Glossy set pieces and plenty of hero worship abound as Dom (Vin Diesel) and his team tear up the streets of LA. Charged with infiltrating the gang and uncovering the seedier side of the street racing culture, Brian, played by Paul Walker, walks a fine line between duty and loyalty. Also starring Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, and Rick Yune.
2 Fast 2 Furious – 2003
Hot on the heels of the first film's success, 2Fast takes the story a stage further, reintroducing Paul Walker's character Brian, who has relocated to Miami. Dangerous drug lords abound, FBI agents strike deals with the disgraced ex-cop, and all the while, the family theme runs as strong as ever. Not the most complex of plots, but a shining performance by Walker gives the film a bittersweet edge. Also starring Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes and Cole Hauser.
Fast & Furious – 2009
Fans of the Fast & Furious movies had to wait nearly six years for episode three, but it was worth it. The pairing of Vin Diesel as Dom and Paul Walker as Brian is a match made in movie heaven, with the two characters playing off each other beautifully. The dialogue is sharper, the set pieces are bigger, and the stunts are incredible as the team returns to the mean streets of LA. Feuds are buried, and friendships are strengthened in a relentless rollercoaster of action and intrigue. Also starring future Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot, John Ortiz and Laz Alonso.
Fast Five – 2011
Yes, it's confusing, but if you're watching the Fast & Furious movies chronologically, the next on your list is Fast Five. Introducing some new recurring characters into the mix, Fast Five continues the action in Rio de Janeiro. It's the 'one final job' scenario that inevitably goes wrong, especially as the crew are now being hunted by federal agent Hobbs, played by man-mountain Dwayne Johnson. The testosterone levels soar as the antiheroes dodge the Feds and drug lords alike. Slick, action-packed and even funny in places, Fast Five sees the franchise getting into its stride. Also starring Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Tego Calderon.
Fast & Furious 6 – 2013
The winning formula continues, as do the octane-driven stunts and the sheer intensity of the action. Wealthy, relaxed, and living the high life in Rio, Dom (Vin Diesel) is still a fugitive, as are the rest of the crew. The last person they expect a call for help from is Dwayne Johnson’s federal agent character Hobbs. In exchange, there’s the potential of free pardons for Dom and his entire team. They would be mad not to accept, or would they? Also starring Luke Evans, John Ortiz, Sung Kang and Gina Carano.
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift – 2006
Although made several years before Fast & Furious, Fast Five and Fast 6, Tokyo Drift slots into our chronological order as the sixth film to watch. Unfortunately, the film didn't find as much favour with fans when it came out, despite some serious edge-of-the-seat driving stunts and a fascinating glimpse into the world of 'drifting' – a huge subculture in Japan. Only one of the usual F&F characters is involved in Tokyo Drift, so this film really acts as a stand-alone within the context of the franchise. However, it’s an entertaining romp where Sean Boswell, played by Lucas Black, relocates to Japan after his prowess as a street racer makes him the target of law enforcement in the USA. Also starring Zachery Ty Bryan, Brian Tee and Sung Kang, who revives his role as Han.
Furious 7 – 2015
The sequence finally realigns as we go into a new round of faster, more furious action. Our favourite Fast & Furious actors are all back, although sadly, this was the final outing for Paul Walker's character, as the actor was tragically killed in a car accident. The plot is, of course, completely over the top, as you would expect from the Fast & Furious films, but great fun, nevertheless. After the defeat of international terrorist Owen Shaw in Fast 6, Vin and the rest of the crew have to deal with Shaw’s enraged older brother out for revenge. A techy side story adds depth and interest to the plot. Also starring Jason Statham as Shaw, Kurt Russell, Dwayne Johnson and MMA champion Ronda Rousey.
Fast 8 – The Fate of the Furious – 2017
After the death of Paul Walker, the creators of the Fast & Furious movies had to think about how to move the story on. Fast 8 signified a new direction for the franchise. The remaining Fast & Furious actors reunited to add a new level of intrigue to the lives of these by-now well-loved characters. Dom (Vin Diesel) thinks life is simple now that they've all received their pardons, but a sinister hacker named Cipher causes chaos when she forces Dom to betray his team to save a very special life. Because the theme of family above all is so integral to the F&F films, it comes as a shock that the most prominent advocate of that rule seemingly turns traitor against everything he holds dear. One of the more complex and darker outings for the Fast & Furious movies. Also starring Charlize Theron as Cipher, Helen Mirren as Magdalene Shaw, Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson.
Fast & Furious presents: Hobbs & Shaw – 2019
Another stand-alone offering, but it does help if you've watched the Fast & Furious movies to get a glimpse into the interaction between Hobbs and Shaw, in particular, and their backstory. The two characters are still feuding but are thrown together by their respective governments to take on the terrifying prospect of total annihilation at the hands of a lethal pathogen. Spearheading the battle for the bad guys is an augmented soldier called Brixton Lorr, a former British agent gone rogue and brilliantly played by Idris Elba. The action is non-stop, the banter between Hobbs and Shaw is genuinely funny (as is the cameo appearance by Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds), and the final action sequences in Samoa are, well, extraordinarily over the top! Also starring Vanessa Kirby and Helen Mirren.
F9: The Fast Saga – 2021
Sometimes, you can't choose your family. In F9, Dom's peaceful existence is shattered by the discovery that his estranged brother Jakob, played by John Cena, is bent on world domination. Dom and the crew must stop him, forcing Dom to face some very uncomfortable home truths about what 'family' really means. The set pieces are, as always, mind-blowingly big, the explosions are huge, and the stunt driving is off the scale. While the plot may be darker and far less humorous than Hobbs and Shaw, this addition to the Fast & Furious movies is a good one and well worth watching. Also starring Nathalie Emmanuel, Charlize Theron reviving her role as Cipher, and Michelle Rodriguez as Letty.
Fast X – 2023
Is this the last we’ll hear of Dom, Letty, and the Fast crew? If their latest nemesis has anything to do with things, the answer is yes. And when the villain is Jason Momoa at his over-the-top best as Dante Reyes, you can be sure that the action levels will be cranked way past ten and up to eleven. The juxtaposition of Diesel's ever-stoic Dom versus the flamboyant Momoa is interesting but tends to overshadow the other performances. The film's visual appeal doesn't hold quite as much interest as some of the earlier offerings, but Fast X is a worthy successor to Fast 9 and leaves the door open for future instalments and potential spin-offs. Indeed, Vin Diesel himself has indicated that Fast X marks the start of a final trilogy of films to conclude the series. Also starring Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham and John Cena.
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