I Rewatched Fast Five, And I Completely Forgot How An OG Character Was The Heart Of The Movie

by

As someone who grew up with the Fast & Furious franchise, I must confess that I had always been partial to its early days and overlooked characters like Vince. Revisiting Fast Five after a decade made me realize what a gem this film is and how underrated Vince’s character arc truly is.

For quite some time now, I’ve only caught glimpses of classic moments from it throughout the years. However, it had been over a decade since I last watched Fast Five from start to finish. Lately, this 2011 action film, widely regarded as the best in the Fast & Furious series, found its way onto my Netflix list. To my surprise, as I hit play, I was about to be reminded that a beloved character from the original franchise would be central to the story.

Instead of referring to Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto or Brian O’Conner played by the late Paul Walker, I’m discussing Vince, Matt Schulze’s character who last appeared a decade ago in “The Fast and the Furious.” After this experience, I gained a fresh perspective on the ex-member of the Toretto crew and his journey within one of the greatest action movies ever produced.

I Always Felt Like Vince Got A Raw Deal In The Fast And The Furious

Looking back at the early days of Dom Toretto’s crew in the Fast & Furious universe, I, as one of its members, was Vince. Known for my reckless nature and perhaps not the best choice around Dom’s younger sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster), I was still one of the top performers when it came to racing or pulling off daring heists like stealing DVD players from 18-wheelers.

Although he overdid things with Mia, Vince was unique among Dom’s friends as the one who knew Brian wasn’t just an exceptional street racer; he was actually an undercover cop. As suspected by Vince, trusting him proved difficult and ultimately led to his discard. Tragically, it was Vince himself who suffered severe injuries in the disastrous operation at the end of the movie – a shotgun blast nearly took his life, and his arm got caught up in a cable, causing grave injury.

Vince Talking About His Son Shows How Much Dom And The Crew Meant To Him, Ever After Everything That Happened

Moving forward a full decade, we arrive at Fast Five, where Vince reunites with his long-time companions. Despite attempting a tricky move by snatching a chip from one of the cars they’d previously stolen in the film, he demonstrates his deep affection for them by going above and beyond to shield these childhood friends, emphasizing the lasting bond they share.

Following their return to execute the grand $100-million robbery, Vince finds himself ensnared in a hail of gunfire and succumbs to his injuries. On the brink of death, he confides in Dom that he must find and connect with Nico, his son, whom he named after their old friend.

It’s understandable if Vince chose to disregard Dom and that chapter of his life completely, but surprisingly, he found himself plummeting from the streets of LA to the Brazilian favelas, a journey where memories of his friend and their bond remained vividly etched in his mind.

Vince’s Redemption Arc Shows The Power Of Family

There is one thing and one thing only that matters in the Fast & Furious franchise and that is the power of family. I’ve made jokes in the past about Dom being a superhero powered by his love of family, but the bond shared by the various outcasts who find a place to call home with each other is no laughing matter (okay, maybe a little). One of the best examples of family coming together for each other is found in Vince’s redemption story.

Initially in the film, he opposes Dom, but later gets reinstated into the team and risks his life to help them finish their mission. This event, combined with the revelation that Mia and Brian are having a baby, triggers Dom’s famous “I salute my family” speech. I had momentarily forgotten the background of that memorable line from the franchise.

His Death Gives Us One Of Fast Five’s (And The Franchise’s) Best Dom Toretto Moments

As a dedicated gamer, I’ve got to say, just like some characters in the Fast & Furious series have been resurrected, Vince’s demise is one of the rare instances where it seems final (for now, at least). His heart-wrenching last moments, where he entrusted Dom to care for his son, are followed by what I consider to be one of the most powerful and defiant scenes featuring Dom Toretto in the entire franchise.

Following a prayer over Vince’s corpse, Dom confides in his friend that Nico is now under his gaze before instructing his team to leave their current location quickly due to lack of time. However, rather than retreating from Rio with their heads down, Dom asserts that running doesn’t equate to freedom and encourages his team to exercise their autonomy. The situation becomes even more impressive when the injured Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) emerges from the darkness, expressing a desire to join forces and complete the mission. Quite unexpectedly…what?

Vince Is Also At The Center Of Two Of The Movie‘s Most Iconic Action Sequences

Vince’s character in Fast Five wasn’t just about memorable personality scenes; he was also involved in two of the film’s most famous action set pieces: the train robbery and the assault by Reyes’ men when the team initially planned to execute the massive $100-million heist.

The train sequence has become the stuff of legend over the years, and is one of the most furious in the entire franchise. Before revisiting the movie, I completely forgot that it was the opening scene in this action-packed sequel. And, the shootout later, the one where Vince is ultimately killed, is an intense set piece that is a lot of fun to revisit after spending the past few years watching Dom and crew become superheroes and going to space. I was quickly reminded just how much I loved this movie with these two sequences.

Refreshingly, diving back into the world of Fast Five after such a long time was an enjoyable journey with surprising insights. With Fast and Furious 11 set to release soon, perhaps it’s time for me to revisit the rest of the series (definitely in manageable chunks).

Read More

2024-12-02 02:07