The Fast and Furious franchise is one of the most popular and successful movie series of all time. With eight main films, two spin-off movies, and several short films, the franchise has become a cultural phenomenon and a global box office sensation. But with so many movies in the series, it can be overwhelming to know where to start or how to watch them in order. In this article, we’ll explore the best way to watch the Fast and Furious movies.
First, let’s start with the order of the main Fast and Furious movies.
The chronological order of the movies is as follows:
- The Fast and the Furious (2001)
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Fast & Furious (2009)
Fast Five (2011)
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Furious 7 (2015)
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
The order above is the chronological order of the series, meaning that the events in each movie happen in the order listed. However, there is another way to watch the movies that some fans argue is a better way to experience the series.
The recommended order to watch the Fast and Furious movies is as follows:
- The Fast and the Furious (2001)
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Fast & Furious (2009)
Fast Five (2011)
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
Furious 7 (2015)
The Fate of the Furious (2017)
This order is based on the idea that the first three movies in the series are a sort of trilogy, and watching them in order helps to establish the characters and their relationships. The next three movies (Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6) are often referred to as the “heist trilogy,” as they focus on the characters pulling off increasingly elaborate heists. Watching these movies in order also helps to establish the continuity of the series, as characters from previous movies make appearances in later ones.
The final two movies, Furious 7 and The Fate of the Furious, can be watched in either order, as they are not as closely connected to the previous movies. However, watching Furious 7 before The Fate of the Furious can help to establish the character relationships and emotional stakes in the latter film.
Now that we’ve established the best order to watch the movies, let’s take a closer look at each one.
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The Fast and the Furious (2001)
The movie that started it all, The Fast and the Furious introduces us to the world of street racing and the character of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) is an undercover cop tasked with infiltrating Toretto’s crew, but as he becomes more involved with them, he starts to question where his loyalties lie.
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2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
The first sequel to The Fast and the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious sees Brian O’Conner on the run from the law after letting Toretto escape at the end of the first movie. He teams up with childhood friend Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) to take down a drug lord in Miami.
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The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006)
The third movie in the series is a bit of an outlier, as it features a mostly new cast and takes place in Japan. However, it does feature a cameo from Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, tying it to the rest of the series. The movie follows high school student Sean Boswell (Lucas Black) as he moves to Tokyo and becomes involved in the underground world of drift racing.
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Fast & Furious (2009)
The fourth movie in the series sees the return of Vin Diesel’s character, Dominic Toretto, and the reintroduction of Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Conner. The two must team up to take down a drug cartel and clear their names.
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Fast Five (2011)
Often considered one of the best movies in the series, Fast Five sees the characters from the previous movies teaming up for a heist in Rio de Janeiro. The movie features an all-star cast, including Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and many others.
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Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
The sixth movie in the series continues the heist theme, as the characters are recruited by a government agent (played by The Rock) to take down a dangerous criminal mastermind. The movie features some of the most over-the-top action scenes in the series, including a memorable sequence involving a tank on a highway.
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Furious 7 (2015)
This movie was released after the tragic death of Paul Walker, who played Brian O’Conner. The movie serves as a tribute to Walker’s character and features some of the most emotional moments in the series. The story revolves around the team trying to stop a terrorist organization led by Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham).
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The Fate of the Furious (2017)
The eighth movie in the series sees the team going up against Dominic Toretto himself, who has gone rogue and joined forces with a dangerous cyberterrorist. The movie features some of the most outlandish action scenes in the series, including a submarine chase on ice.
In addition to the main movies, there are also two spin-off movies in the Fast and Furious universe: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) and Los Bandoleros (2009). Hobbs & Shaw features Dwayne Johnson’s character, Luke Hobbs, teaming up with Jason Statham’s character, Deckard Shaw, for a mission to save the world. Los Bandoleros is a short film that serves as a prequel to Fast & Furious, showing how Dominic Toretto and his crew came to be.
In conclusion, there are two ways to watch the Fast and Furious movies: chronologically or in the recommended order. The recommended order is often considered the best way to experience the series, as it helps to establish character relationships and continuity. Each movie in the series offers its own unique thrills and action, and watching them all in order is sure to be a wild ride. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the series, the Fast and Furious movies are sure to provide plenty of excitement and entertainment.
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