25 years ago, what has become one of the biggest and most successful film franchises ever was launched with the release of The Fast and the Furious, directed by Rob Cohen. There has been a wave of truck hijackings across Los Angeles, with millions of dollars in electronic goods stolen. The thefts have been perpetrated by a skilled crew driving three souped-up Honda Civics. Police Sgt. Tanner (Ted Levine) and FBI Agent Bilkins (Thom Barry) suspect one of the men behind the thefts is Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), a man with a criminal past, who is a big shot in the underground street racing scene. Going undercover to try to infiltrate and take down the operation is detective Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), who quickly becomes enamored with this world of street racing. He also develops feelings for Dom’s sister, Mia (Jordana Brewster). As Brian gets to know Dom and his crew—Vince (Matt Schulze), Leon (Johnny Strong), Jesse (Chad Lindberg), and Dom’s girlfriend Letty (Michelle Rodriguez)—and learns more about their lives and the family they have formed, he starts to question where his loyalties should lie. Some of the other main characters include auto parts store owner/informant Harry (Thom Barry), who provides Brian with his undercover cover job; race organizer Hector (Noel Gugliemi); fellow racers Edwin (Ja Rule) and Danny (RJ De Vera); and rival racing gang leader Johnny Tran (Rick Yune) and his cousin Lance (Reggie Lee).

Before sitting down to watch this new 4K release, I probably hadn’t seen the original The Fast and the Furious film in at least 15 years. This franchise has gotten wilder and wilder with each film, even sending characters into space! and the action set pieces have been getting bigger and bigger, reaching ridiculous levels. So I was a bit worried at how the O.G. film would hold up, especially when the movie opens with “We just packed up the real money load, and it’s comin’ your way,” referring to a truckload of VCRs—a far cry from one of the latter movies that finds the crew dragging a massive safe down a highway. However, as the movie went on, I realized it was just as exciting, captivating and engaging as ever.

The original The Fast and the Furious really is the roots of the franchise—it is all about the characters and the racing. Dom and his crew have a love of street racing, and have turned it into an art, souping up their cars to shave seconds off their times as they prep for the Race Wars. The film also turned NOS into a household word. The viewer is transported into the excitement of the street races, making them feel like they are in the driver’s seat. The filmmakers utilize some creative camera work and visual effects to show the inner-workings of the vehicles as the drivers step on the gas, or fire the NOS during the race. But stunts and driving are still done practically, making you feel like you are right there in the middle of the action.

It’s not just the action that has made this franchise so successful, it’s also the characters and the relationships. While “family” has become a buzz word of the franchise, its origins can also be seen in this first film. Dom and his crew truly are a family, who support and look out for one another. As you get to know these characters, you really start to care about them, just like Brian. They may initially seem like the bad guys, but you start to realize that is certainly not the case. Vin Diesel already knows and embodies “Dom” right from this first appearance. Dom has remained a steady and reliable character throughout the franchise. He is the glue that holds all of the other characters together. And I forgot just how great of an actor Paul Walker was. It’s sad what happened because he could have definitely continued to be a major part of this crew throughout the franchise, and not just in spirit.

Overall, I was quite impressed with how well the film holds up 25 years later, the action and stunts are great, and the film sets the tone, characters and stage for what comes later on.

Universal has released The Fast and the Furious: 25th Anniversary Edition on standard and SteelBook 4K UHD. The film had previously received a 4K disc release back in 2018, but this new 25th Anniversary Edition is newly-remastered and enhanced with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. The disc also introduces a brand new “Riding a Legacy: 25 Years of Fast” retrospective featurette to the bonus material.

We were sent the standard 4K disc release of the 25th Anniversary Edition for review. I didn’t have the previous 4K release to compare it to, but this looks and sounds excellent. Film grain is hardly noticeable, and the video presentation captures every detail, from the darker nighttime street race sequence, to the sunny, daytime Race Wars. Colors look excellent, from Brian’s lime green car, to the neon glow of some of the other enhanced vehicles. Everything really pops throughout. Detail remains clear even in the faster-paced scenes. The audio track is even more impressive, constantly filling the room with the roar of engines, and capturing the excitement of the various high speed chases and races, the sounds of the clutch kicking through the gears, and the NOS as it causes a blast in the engine.

The included Blu-ray disc appears to be identical to the original 2017 disc, with the same menus, specs and bonus material. Some of this legacy bonus material has also been ported over to the 4K disc (as noted below). The 4K disc also includes a great new 27-minute retrospective featurette filmed at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, featuring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, producer Neal Moritz, and Paul Walker’s daughter Meadow, who reflect on the origins and enduring legacy of the original film. There is also a 2-minute archival featurette that doesn’t appear to have been included on either the Blu-ray or the previous 4K release (unless it was some sort of hidden feature).

The discs are placed on other side of a standard 4K keepcase along with a cardboard slipcover with an embossed title, and redemption instructions for a 4K digital copy of the film.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:46:53)

4K UHD:
• 2160p / Widescreen 2.35:1
• Dolby Vision / HDR10
• Audio: English Dolby Atmos, Spanish 5.1 DTS, French 5.1 DTS
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 2.35:1
• Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish 5.1 DTS, French 5.1 DTS
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital (code may not be valid after 9/30/2027):

• 4K Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:
The included Blu-ray disc is identical to the 2017 Blu-ray release. The new bonus material can only be found on the 4K disc, along with a portion of the legacy bonus material.
Items only on the 4K disc are marked with an **
Items only on the Blu-ray are marked with an *
Play All, or select from:

• Riding a Legacy: 25 Years of Fast** (27:35)
  New to this release, the cast and crew look back on 25 years of the Fast franchise. After attending the 2026 Cannes Film Festival Cannes Classic Screening for the 25th Anniversary of the first film, stars Vin Diesel (“Dominic Toretto”), Michelle Rodriguez (“Letty”) & Jordana Brewster (“Mia Toretto”) have a conversation about seeing the film again, and give their thoughts and memories about making the movie and the franchise as a whole. They talk about casting the film, working with one another, their characters, the themes of the franchise, the practical stunts and action of the first film, the legacy of the actors (including Paul Walker) and more. Also includes some new interviews with producer Neal H. Moritz and Meadow Walker (Paul Walker’s daughter) from Cannes, and archival behind-the-scenes footage and interviews from the set of the film.
• The Making of The Fast and the Furious (18:03)
  The cast and crew talk about how the film came about, the street racing subculture, the cars, the cast, the director, the stunts, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Neal Moritz, director Rob Cohen, technical consultants Craig Lieberman & R.J. DeVera, executive producer Doug Clayborne, stunt coordinator Mic Rodgers, stunt double Mike Justus, and stars star Vin Diesel, Rick Yune (“Johnny Tran”), Jordana Brewster, Paul Walker (“Brian”), Michelle Rodriguez & Matt Schulze (“Vince”). Presented in full frame format.
• Deleted Scenes (6:24
  Play All, or select from the following with optional commentary with director Rob Cohen:
  • Brian And Mia Walk To Her Car (:47)
  • Tanner And Brian In Police House (:22)
  • Brian And Jesse Outside Toretto‘s Garage (:26)
  • Trading Driving Stories (1:22)
  • Hector And Brian At The Racer’s Edge (:20)
  • Brian And Mia At The Beach (2:11)
  • Original Edit Of The Ferrari Scene (Extended Scene) (:18)
  • Extension Of Race Wars Fight Scene (Extended Scene) (:35)
• More Than Furious (2:23)
  Deleted scene where the sergeant drops Brian off at Dom’s house, where he talks with Mia, revealing he’s no longer a cop, and asks for another chance.
• Hot off the Street (4:42)
  More deleted scenes. Play All or select from:
  • Brian And Mia At Lunch Counter (:25)
  • Leon, Jesse, And Dom At Toretto‘s House (:29)
  • Toretto House BBQ (1:06)
  • Toretto‘s Garage: Post Raid (Alternate Version) (2:28)
  • Ferrari And Supra Race (:12)
• Dom’s Charger (4:22)
  The cast and crew talk about Dom’s car and what it means to him, the stunts, rebuilding the Charger for the fourth film, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with star Vin Diesel, writer Chris Morgan, picture car coordinator Dennis McCarthy, director Rob Cohen, second unit director Mic Rodgers, and producer Neal H. Moritz.
• Quarter Mile at a Time (9:44)
  A discussion of the history and evolution of street racing. Includes interviews with director of the Peterson Automotive Museum Dick Messer, third generation street racer Geoff McNeil, stunt coordinator/2nd unit director Terry J. Leonard, and Street Rods Forever car club member Babe Mittry.
• Tricking Out a Hot Import Car (19:13)
  Darlene Curtis (2002 Playboy Playmate of the year) and technical advisor Craig Lieberman revamp a Mitsubishi Evo 8 into a street race worthy vehicle. Presented in full frame letterbox format.
• Multiple Camera Angles – Stunt Sequence
  Watch Dominic barrel roll his charger from 8 different camera angles.
• Movie Magic Interactive – Special Effects
  Watch the train track scene from 3 different camera angles, and with different layers of special effects.
• Featurette on Editing for the Motion Picture Association of America (4:36)
  Behind-the-scenes look at the editing room process for the final truck heist sequence in order to achieve a PG-13 rating.
• Visual Effects Montage (3:44)
  Compilation of the street race scene using storyboard, pre-vis, and other rough footage, along with final footage including defects.
• Storyboards-to-Final Feature Comparison (6:06)
  The storyboard versions of the street race and train race scenes play above the final footage.
• Music Videos (13:11)
  Play All or select from:
  • Ja Rule “Furious” (4:08)
  • Caddilac Tah “Pov City Anthem” (4:20)
    This music video has been edited for language. Audio mutes will occur.
  • Saliva “Click Click Boom” (3:58)
  • The Fast and the Furious Soundtrack Spot (:44)
• Speed News Wrap** (2:03)
  The cast and crew talk about driving fast and making the viewer feel this. Includes interviews with director Rob Cohen, and stars Vin Diesel & Paul Walker. Presented in full frame format.
• Feature Commentary With Director Rob Cohen (1:46:57)
  Director Rob Cohen provides an interesting and informative commentary throughout the film. He starts by talking about how he got involved with the movie and the inspiration of the film. He shares a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about the production, but sometimes it almost feels like he’s reading from things he had previously written down.
• The Fast And The Furious Video Mash-up*
  Interactive feature where you select music, clips and an ending to combine into your own custom video.
• Paul Walker Public Service Announcement* (:36)
  Ironically, he tells people to drive safe.
• Turbo-Charged Prelude to 2 Fast 2 Furious* (6:12)
  Paul Walker returns in this electrifying short film that continues the action of The Fast and the Furious and takes you to the sizzling streets of Miami were 2 Fast 2 Furious begins. Presented in full frame letterboxed format.
• Sneak Peek at 2 Fast 2 Furious* (5:11)
  The cast and director talk about the premise, the characters, the cars, and the Miami location of the film. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director John Singleton and stars Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson (“Roman Pearce”) & Eva Mendes (“Monica Fuentes”).
• Theatrical Trailer* (1:43)

Final Thoughts:

The Fast and the Furious still holds up quite well 15 years later, and still remains as exciting and engaging as ever, despite the escalating stakes and over-the-top action set pieces that have increased in scope with each film in the franchise. The film focuses more on the street racing and characters, which has helped to keep it so popular over the decades. Universal’s new 4K release looks and sounds amazing, and includes a great new 25th anniversary retrospective featurette, while also porting over all of the previous bonus material. If you don’t already own the film, it’s definitely worth adding to your collection. (For those who already own the digital version, the new featurette has been added to the existing Movies Anywhere bonus material!)