Fast & The Furious, Essay Example

In the film Fast & the Furious the male characters exhibit stereotypical or archaic male behavior. This is seen in their attitudes, actions, and mannerisms as exhibited in the way that they talk with eachother or with the female characters, as well as how they approach certain situations (i.e. when they’re racing each other, as in the beginning of the film as strangers and later on when they unite or bond as a team). The difference between the beginning of the plot through the arc of the plot and how the male characters treat each other throughout that arc is especially of anthropological interest. The film’s focal males, Brian O’Conner and Dominic Toretto, fight over dominance of one another as well as the crew (especially in regards to the female character Mia Toretto). This showcasing of dominance and exhibition of aggressive behavior is something that is shown whenever a stranger (male) enters into another male’s domain. Dominance is exhibited by the males trying to impress the females through fighting (whomever wins is the alpha, in the case of the film, racing takes the place of fighting, so whomever wins the race is considered the alpha). ]

As the plot progresses, Dominic takes Brian under his tutorship and teaches him how to be aggressive, acclimate to the world in which Dominic is the alpha (through him besting every other racer). Brian, however, acclimates as swiftly as possible because his mission in the plot, as an undercover cop, is to infiltrate Dominic’s infrastructure, in order to bring him down later. Thus, Brian’s role is to acquiesce to Dominic’s alpha status. This acquiescence, however, is trumped when Brian falls for Dominic’s sister. Thus, the male vs. male scenario, through an anthropological lens, becomes more complicated. As Brian pursues Dominic’s sister, Brian becomes more and more acclimated and accepted by the Fast & Furious crew. Thus, Dominic’s dominance over Brian is successful in that Brian overturns his role as a cop in order to be more fully steeped in Dominic’s world.

There are two key aspects of male thinking/behavior that are exhibited in the film: the first is that dominance is key to ruling a “kingdom” or group of people (as Dominic exhibits) and the second one is that an exhibition of strength is necessary in order to remain “top dog” which can only be done through dominant or aggressive behavior. As Dominic says to Brian after their first race, when Brian states egotistically that he came in second, Dominic replies that second place is still losing. With this aggressive statement, Dominic is really saying to Brian that he hasn’t proven himself yet and that Dominic is the alpha male in this world of racing.

Being alpha, Dominic also serves his male followers as a father figure. When Dominic takes Brian under his wing, as it were, he shows him the ropes of the game. This relationship becomes more than friendship, and evolves into a type of paternal relationship, or even a brotherhood (with Dominic still being the alpha male who cares for his brothers). Thus, any male who is against his brothers is an immediate enemy.