The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

12, 2006, Directed by Justin Lin
Starring: Lucas Black, Sung Kang, Bow Wow, Nathalie Kelley

A franchise-resetter, the third instalment of The Fast and the Furious series axes all former characters and translates the action to Tokyo, where teenage American rebel Sean (Lucas Black, clearly in his twenties) embroils himself within the underground world of drift racing in Tokyo, locking heads with 'Drift King' Takashi in the process.

What feels like a straight-to-DVD attempt to keep the franchise burning soon elevates itself to ridiculously watchable fun as Sung Kang's potato chip muncher Han takes Luke under his wing, handing him shiny new cars, and teaching him how to professionally drift. Merge this with Kill Bill's Sonny Chiba waltzing onto the screen as Takashi's high-ranking Yakuza grandfather and you might actually find yourself enjoying something you probably never expected to.

A late-minute surprise cameo ties the seemingly-unrelated film to the rest of the franchise with fist-pumping success secures writing/directing duo Chris Morgan and Justin Lin as the guys responsible  for extending the film series' miles.

3/5