Instead of Keanu Reeves and Johnny Utah, we have Paul Walker and Brian O'Connor. Instead of the charismatic yogi surfer dude Bodhi, we have the charismatic street car racer Dom. Instead of surf boards, we've got race cars. But the setup is the same: young agent must go undercover into a gang to find out who has been pulling the recent waive of robberies. But when he gets in with the gang, bonds with the leader guy and falls for the girl, will he have the heart to turn them in?

I love Point Break, and I like The Fast And The Furious pretty good too. Which is better? Rather than do a traditional review of The Fast And The Furious, I'll just weigh it against Point Break on the key characters and story elements and we'll see who comes out on top.

Brian (Paul Walker) vs. Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves)
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Archetype:

Pretty boy cop inflitrates gang, falls for girl and gets too close to his mark.

Who does it better?

I have to say, both actors pull the role off well. Keanu is Keanu, and sometimes that's just what is needed (see The Matrix). Paul Walker is pretty darn cool in this too, but Johnny Utah used to be a big time college football hero before he hurt his arm, and that backstory is going to take him into the end zone.

The Verdict:

Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves) of Point Break

Dom (Vin Diesel) vs. Bodhi (Patrick Swayze)
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Archetype:

Charismatic gang leader -- you know he's trouble, but you love him anyway.

Who does it better?

Vin Diesel is an asskicker and would mop the floor with Patrick Swayze any day of the week. Dom is an intimidating force, and he's got enough charm to keep you in line when brute strength won't do the job.

But Bodhi's a visionary, a crazy man, an inspirational figure. You might fear and respect Dom, but you'll love Bodhi like your brother. Call me crazy for Swayze, but you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

The Verdict:

Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) of Point Break

Mia (Jordana Brewster) vs. Tyler (Lori Petty)
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Archetype:

Pretty girl caught up with the gang, but not in on the bad stuff, falls for our hero but still cares about the gang.

Who does it better?

I never found Lori Petty to be all that charming or attractive. I never really understood why Johnny Utah was so drawn to her. Mia on the other hand is a cutie and she's played by Jordana Brewster, who is dating Derek Jeter. Jeter is the New York Yankees all-star shortstop and I'm a huge Yankee fan. That's enough to win the day alone for Brewster, but I'd have voted against the somewhat annoying Lori Petty more than for Jordana Brewster anyway without Jeter and the Yanks being dragged into this.

The Verdict:

Mia (Jordana Brewster) of The Fast And The Furious

Johnny Tran & Gang vs. The Red Hot Chilli Peppers
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Archetype:

We hate these guys, and we really, really want them to be the ones who are guilty and not the charismatic leader guy. They are a bunch of scumbugs, the lot of them, but alas, they aren't guilty -- at least not of this particular crime.

Who does it better:

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are really good musicians. They may even get their own shrine one day. That Flea, he's a pretty shifty character too. But there's something creepier about the Asian mafia types in The Fast And The Furious. I can't really put my finger on it, but it's there.

The Verdict:

Johnny Tran & Gang of The Fast And The Furious

The Black Civics vs. The Ex-President Masks
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Archetype:

The calling card.

Who does it better:

The black civics may be more intimidating to their prey, but I like the sense of humor that goes into donning the Ex-President masks for your bank robbery. It's that little extra creative effort that wins this type of competition.

The Verdict:

The Ex-President Masks

Street Racing vs. Surfing
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Archetype:

The shared passion around which the bond forms.

Who does it better:

I mentioned I'm not a car guy. Well, I'm not a surfer either. Ten years does a lot for filmmaking, and the street racing scenes are just more of a rush than the surfing scenes in Point Break. Maybe it has more to do with the advances in action filmmaking that have occurred over time, but that doesn't change the outcome.

The Verdict:

The Fast And The Furious' street racing scenes.

The Mexican Border Vs. The 50 Year Storm
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Archetype:

The moment of truth.

Who does it better:

"What do I do now?" That's the question both of our heroes must ask themselves in the final moments of their respective films. Do I let (Dom/Bodhi) (hop in the car and make a run for it/take on the 50 year storm in one last ill-fated blaze of surfing glory) or do I turn him in and do my job? The car's nice and all, but the spiritual vibe Point Break developed around surfing really pays itself off in this scene.

The Verdict:

The 50 Year Storm of Point Break.

The Final Tally:
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4-3, Point Break wins. Were the filmmakers of The Fast And The Furious knowingly remaking Point Break? Doubtful. And you know what? It doesn't matter. These are both very good films, and you can't go wrong with either, but when push comes to shove, I'll take Point Break.

The Fast and the Furious RATING: 3.5/5 Stars

Point Break RATING: 4/5 Stars

- Chris Kivlehan