Unlike most film critics, I don’t hate the FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise. As a matter of fact, I find the series to be good old-fashioned b-movie fun. The entire series feels like something that Roger Corman would have churned out back in the 60s and 70s, probably starring Peter Fonda and Warren Oates, rather than Vin Diesel and Paul Walker. There’s an old-school charm to these movies that, to be quite honest, is like comfort food to me. Even TOKYO DRIFT is not without it’s charm, though I would have preferred more Vin and a little less Bow Wow.

That having been seen, Variety is reporting that Diesel, Walker and director Justin Lin (he helmed DRIFT and the most recent installment, FAST AND FURIOUS) are reteaming for a fourth sequel, this one titled FAST FIVE. The new sequel (penned by WANTED scribe Chris Morgan) apparently has Diesel and Walker being pursued by “relentless lawmen”. Sounds good to me.

Facts are, all that needs to be in place is Vin and Walker, some hot women (be sure to bring back Jordana Brewster), lots of fast cars, a hip soundtrack and some insane car chases. You deliver on all those fronts and the plot practically writes itself. However, the idea of “relentless lawmen” sounds interesting to me. Does this mean that the series might be going in a BUTCH AND SUNDANCE direction. After all, all of the great car chase movies that FURIOUS derives it’s vibe from always ended with the heroes being cornered by the law and sacrificing themselves rather than going to prison. It’d be one helluva way to the end franchise.