No Diesel is needed to fuel this sequel.
After blowing his cover as a cop and letting hijacking kingpin Dom (Vin Diesel) skate in the first film, Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) kept his honor, but lost his badge.
Now O'Connor has the chance to erase his record and redeem himself. The Feds in Miami have had one tough time tracking down ritzy businessman Carter Verone (Cole Hauser), who is using his import and export business to cover up some "dirty" money.
Approached with the proposition to get a handle on Verone, O'Connor insists on working side by side with his childhood friend and ex-con Roman Pearce (Tyrese). Pearce also will have a clean slate if he aids O'Connor on the assignment.
Also working undercover is agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes), who provides the childhood friends with a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and a Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder as getaway vehicles.
As the two set out to collect Verone's desired money and escape without being hounded by the cops, they learn how serious and dangerous Verone really is. They also have their suspicions of Fuentes, who might be "sleeping with the enemy," as Pearce puts it.
"2 Fast 2 Furious" is better than the first simply because there are far more mind-blowing car chases and races.
While "The Fast and the Furious" introduced us to the super-charged cars and a speedy-moving plot, the sequel has more intense and exciting car racing scenes, an attention-getting storyline and surprising comedy intertwined.
Just like the original, "2 Fast 2 Furious" opens with another fast-paced street race headed by Tej (Ludacris). Unlike Ja Rule's character in the original, Ludacris is on board with a crucial character.
His acting is surprisingly good and the comic timing is on point.
Tyrese is one of the reasons why the sequel is better. Pearce, Tyrese's character, is the comic relief of the movie. He provides nonstop entertainment to his fast-talking, strong-willed character and proves he cannot only sing but act as well.
Walker shines more in the sequel because we are able to get a clearer look into who Brian O'Connor really is. When "The Fast and the Furious" hit theaters in 2001, Walker's character struggled to stay faithful to both his job and Diesel's character.
This time around, O'Connor is again forced to remain undercover, but he's more easygoing with his pal Pearce around to lighten the air. Betraying a friend's trust isn't on his mind.
With Pearce along for the ride, we are able to see two friends put their heads together and mastermind their own plan to take Verone down - which of course involves their Mitsubishis to speed across Miami highways.
Be prepared to feel the jolt of the clutch again, followed by the sudden and abrupt jerk the action scenes from the original provided.
You'll feel like you're in the passenger seat throughout the film, clinging to your seat belt.
When the movie draws to a close, you will climb out of that seat, jump into your car and want to speed exactly like they do in the movie - of course, that might be "2 Fast and 2 Furious" for your '89 Ford Taurus to handle.
