Considering how bad this movie could have been it actually turns out to be a bit of a throw away good time. Mostly this is a function of three things...
1.) a slick new look, Tokyo techno green meets middle American muscle car 2.) terrific racing scenes with "drifting" being the concept du jour, a sideways skidding-emergency brake slamming-spinout 3.) Lucas Black, who I have liked over the years though he isn't the strongest actor, he does possess a perceived authenticity, a realness of character that makes the film feel far more plausible than it deserves to be.
Director Justin Lin does a good job, mostly with the visual style and the pulsing soundtrack. The plot is terrible though and the script is dumb with tons of ridiculous moments. You just gotta throw away your common sense here. Either you like it or you don't. This one isn't going to win any Writers Guild awards but it does know how to use its assets to the fullest.