After letting Dominic Toretto escape, former cop Brian O'Conner is now a fugitive making a living in the Miami street racing scene. When the FBI catches him, they offer a deal to wipe his record clean if he goes undercover to take down a powerful drug lord. Teaming up with his estranged childhood friend Roman Pearce, Brian must transport dirty money while planning a daring escape.
Information |
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|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
June 06, 2003 |
Running time |
107 minutes |
Genre |
Action Crime Thriller |
Budget |
$76,000,000 |
Box Office |
$236,350,661 |
Crew |
|
Directed by |
John Singleton |
Produced by |
Neal H. Moritz |
Written by |
Michael Brandt Derek Haas |
Music by |
David Arnold |
Cinematography |
Matthew F. Leonetti |
Edited by |
Bruce Cannon |
Production Co. |
Original Film |
Distributed by |
Universal Pictures |
Official Trailer
The Plot
The Street Racer of Miami
Disgraced former LAPD officer Brian O'Conner has fled Los Angeles after allowing the fugitive Dominic Toretto to escape custody. Now living as a fugitive himself in Miami, Florida, Brian has reinvented himself under the street name "Bullitt." He resides in a small houseboat behind a garage owned by his friend Tej Parker, an ex-street racer who now organizes local events. Brian makes a living by racing his modified silver and blue 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, utilizing the high-performance driving skills he honed as a member of Toretto's disbanded crew. He is supported by a circle of friends including Tej, the skilled mechanic Jimmy, and Suki, a spirited racer who drives a custom pink Honda S2000.
One night, Tej organizes a high-stakes race involving Suki, Orange Julius, and Slap Jack. When a fourth driver is needed to complete the grid, Tej calls Brian. Brian dominates the race, winning thousands of dollars and giving a portion of his winnings to Tej as gratitude. However, the victory is short-lived. A massive police presence swamps the area, forcing the racers to scatter. While fleeing, Brian’s Skyline is targeted by U.S. Customs Agent Markham, who deploys a fictional harpoon-like Electronic Disruption Device (ESD). The device fries the Skyline's electronics, disabling the vehicle and leading to Brian's immediate arrest.
A Deal with the F.B.I.
In custody, Brian faces his former boss, FBI Special Agent Bilkins, alongside the aggressive Customs Agent Markham. Facing significant prison time for aiding and abetting Toretto, Brian is offered a deal: his criminal record will be completely wiped clean if he agrees to go undercover to help bring down Carter Verone, a ruthless Argentine drug lord operating out of Miami. Brian accepts the deal on the strict condition that he chooses his own partner, refusing to work with another agent chosen by Markham.
Brian and Bilkins travel to Barstow, California, to track down Roman Pearce, Brian's estranged childhood friend. Roman is currently an ex-convict living in a trailer and serving parole for housing stolen cars, a crime for which he blames Brian, believing his friend—who was a cop at the time—could have prevented his arrest. The reunion is volatile, resulting in a physical altercation between the two. After cooling down, Brian convinces Roman to join the mission by offering him the same deal: a pardon for his crimes and the removal of his ankle monitor. Reluctantly, Roman agrees to partner with Brian once again.
The Audition
Back in Miami, the duo is introduced to Monica Fuentes, an undercover U.S. Customs agent who has managed to infiltrate Verone's inner circle as his girlfriend. Monica arranges an introduction, but Verone requires potential drivers to prove themselves. He sets up a chaotic "audition" race for several street racing teams. The objective is to retrieve a package from inside Verone's Ferrari, which is parked at an impound lot, and return it to him. Brian and Roman, driving two confiscated modified Mitsubishis—a Lancer Evolution VII and an Eclipse Spyder GTS—tear through the highway, outmaneuvering their rivals.
Upon reaching the impound lot, they secure the package but are ambushed by Markham, who, mistaking their erratic driving for an attempt to flee, has tracked their GPS. Markham nearly blows their cover, forcing Roman to draw a weapon and fire at the agents to maintain the ruse. They successfully escape the lot and return to Verone's compound victorious. Verone reveals that the Ferrari was never actually impounded and that the race was merely a test of their competence. He hires them for a job: to transport a shipment of cash to the Florida Keys, promising a payment of "100Gs" ($100,000) upon completion.
Winning the Muscle
Despite securing the job, Brian and Roman are wary. They deduce that Verone intends to have them executed once the delivery is made to tie up loose ends. Furthermore, they realize their Mitsubishi cars are heavily monitored by the FBI, limiting their ability to maneuver freely. They formulate a plan that requires untracked, high-powered vehicles. To acquire them, they challenge two of the rival racers from the audition, Korpi and Darden, to a "pink slip" race—betting their cars against the rival's muscle cars.
The relay race is intense, but Brian and Roman utilize their superior driving techniques to win. They claim ownership of a 1969 Yenko Camaro SYC and a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T. Meanwhile, tensions rise at Verone's nightclub. To ensure no police interference during the upcoming transport, Verone tortures corrupt Detective Whitworth in a gruesome display of power; he places a rat under a metal champagne bucket on Whitworth's chest and heats the bucket with a blowtorch, forcing the panicked rat to claw into the detective's flesh. Terrified, Whitworth agrees to provide a window of time where the police will stand down.
The Scramble
On the morning of the mission, Brian wakes to find Monica in his home. She warns him that Verone plans to kill them immediately after the drop is finished. As the operation begins, Brian and Roman load duffel bags filled with Verone's drug money into the trunks of the Mitsubishis. Verone's henchmen, Enrique and Roberto, insist on riding in the passenger seats to monitor them. As they transport the money, the corrupt Detective Whitworth betrays them, calling in an army of police units to surround the convoy, triggering a massive high-speed pursuit across the city.
The police deploy helicopters and ground units, attempting to box in the racers. Brian and Roman lead the chase to a large industrial warehouse complex where Tej has orchestrated a "scramble." As the police surround the front entrance, huge garage doors open to reveal dozens of street racers. Four Dodge Ram trucks surge out first, physically pushing the police cruisers aside, followed by a swarm of hundreds of tuner cars. In the chaos and confusion, the police lose track of the primary targets. Inside the warehouse, Brian and Roman switch vehicles, leaving the tracked Mitsubishis behind and roaring out in the untracked Yenko Camaro and Dodge Challenger. It is later revealed that Tej and Suki drove the Mitsubishis out to act as decoys, eventually getting stopped by the police but allowing Brian and Roman to slip away undetected.
The Betrayal and the Jump
As the duo nears the destination, the plan diverges. Roman, driving the Challenger with Roberto, activates a hidden ejector seat powered by nitrous oxide, launching the henchman out of the moving car and effectively removing the threat. Meanwhile, Brian is directed by Enrique to drive to a marina instead of the airfield, confirming Brian's suspicion that the airfield was a decoy. At the airfield, Customs agents and SWAT teams raid Verone's private jet, only to find it empty. Verone, knowing Monica was an informant, had fed her false information to misdirect the authorities.
At the marina, Verone reveals his knowledge of Monica's betrayal. He forces her onto his private yacht and orders Enrique to execute Brian. Just as Enrique prepares to pull the trigger, Roman arrives in the Challenger, ramming the car and creating a distraction that allows Brian to disarm and incapacitate Enrique. Verone flees on the yacht, heading for open waters. With no other way to reach him, Brian and Roman climb into the Yenko Camaro. Accelerating to top speed, they hit a ramp on the pier, launching the muscle car into the air. The Camaro crashes violently onto the top deck of the moving yacht, incapacitating Roman and injuring Brian.
Pockets Full of Cash
Dazed from the impact, Brian crawls from the wreckage. Verone attempts to kill them with a shotgun, but Brian manages to shoot him first with a pistol he confiscated earlier, wounding the drug lord. Monica seizes Verone's shotgun, keeping him at bay until the authorities arrive. The yacht is secured, and Verone is taken into custody. The duffel bags of money are recovered from the wreckage of the Camaro.
With the mission a success, Agent Markham honors the agreement, clearing both Brian and Roman’s criminal records. A reluctant Roman hands over the second half of the money, which he had carried in his Challenger. Bilkins and Markham bid them farewell, leaving the two friends as free men in Miami. As they walk away, they discuss opening a high-end garage together. When Brian asks how they will fund it, Roman reveals he unfastened the bottoms of the duffel bags earlier. He pulls up his shirt to reveal stacks of cash tucked into his waistband, and Brian reveals he has done the same, laughing as they walk off into their new life with pockets full of stolen money.
Top Cast
- Paul Walker as Brian O'Conner
- Tyrese Gibson as Roman Pearce
- Eva Mendes as Monica Fuentes
- Cole Hauser as Carter Verone
- Ludacris as Tej Parker
- Devon Aoki as Suki
- Thom Barry as Agent Bilkins
- James Remar as Agent Markham
- Amaury Nolasco as Orange Julius
- Michael Ealy as Slap Jack
