I have to laugh reading some of the comments about TFaTF. I saw it the other night, I thought it was fun, stupid, flashy, ridiculous, and entertaining. The theater I saw it in was packed mostly with 14-17 year-old girls who had come to see Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, and not that many Riceboys!
Whether people like it or not, the Riceboy thing is hot right now and this movie is the "Saturday Night Fever" for this movement.
I was surprised at the attention paid to technology in the film, much more so than in most throwaway movies like this. There were some interesting special effects, too, such as the "birds eye view" of the NOS charge going through the engine. As for the chase scenes, I thought they were entertaining, but not on the same level as crazed scenes from films like "Bullit" and "Ronin".
The Riceboy is also the auto aftermarket industry's best friend. Watching these guys put $10K of shiny metal on their engines must make suppliers drool. It has benefits for even us 'po 914 guys, as it puts money into the hands of people who supply wheels, tires, and other components that we consume. Personally, if I were Wayne, I'd be selling to the Riceboys, too. And besides, Ricecars are so ridiculous that I get a charge out of seeing one!
As for the illegal behavior depicted in the film (I'm talking about the street racing, not the incredibly stupid method of truck hijacking that they showed), I don't condone it and I think it represents a fairly small fraction of the activities of the Riceboys. Most of these guys are just like you and me, and aren't looking to get ticketed or have their cars confiscated. But it makes for an exciting movie.
Brad Anders