STARRING: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez

Last summer, I watched a big, loud movie about driving fast called "Gone in 60 Seconds." It was dumb and shallow, but a very good time. Who knew it was starting a trend? Following in that movie’s footsteps (tire tracks?) is "The Fast and the Furious," another big, loud movie about driving fast that’s also brainless fun. While not as flashy as last summer’s Nicolas Cage vehicle, this flick has its moments — thanks mostly to the performance of the charismatic Vin Diesel ("Pitch Black").

Diesel plays Dominic, the leader of a group of grungy twenty-somethings that race around town in souped-up compacts. While "Gone in 60 Seconds" was about the cars, this movie is all about speed. These guys don’t care what they’re driving as long as it blows their hair back. Half the fun here is checking out the various autos they’ve turned into street lethal road warriors. It’s quite something to see a Honda Civic all jacked up and doing 120.

The story's predictable, but Vin Diesel and Paul Walker are likable and the car racing stuff is pretty cool.

Apple-cheeked Paul Walker ("Varsity Blues") plays Brian, a young FBI agent who infiltrates Dominic’s gang to see if they’re behind a series of truck hijackings. The plan doesn’t call for him to also infiltrate Dominic’s sister, the lovely Mia (Jordana Brewster from "The Faculty"), but what’s a hot-blooded young fed to do? Soon he is in over his head and torn between his duty, love for Mia and friendship with Dominic. Everything comes down to a showdown on the city streets.

Director Rob Cohen ("The Skulls") and writers David Ayer ("U-571"), Erik Bergquist and Gary Scott Thompson ("K-911" — did you know they had made a sequel to that Jim Belushi dog movie? Did you just see monkeys fly out of my butt?) have assembled a moderately entertaining film. The story’s a bit predictable and the character development close to nonexistent, but Diesel and Walker are likable leads and the car racing stuff is pretty cool. From road level POVs to shots from inside a racing engine, Cohen keeps the images moving as fast as the cars.

The hijacking scenes where three small cars take on a semi are thrilling and reminiscent of a stagecoach robbery from an old western movie. The characters jump from a car to the truck and overtake the driver — all at breakneck speed. And even though you know how this flick is going to turn out (you’ve seen it before in "Point Break" and "Deep Cover"), Cohen and company still manage to crank out a few surprises.

While Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez are believable as bad-ass car jockeys, the rest are Hollywood pretty boys trying too hard to look tough.

While Diesel and co-star Michelle Rodriguez ("Girlfight") are believable as bad ass car jockeys, the rest are California pretty boys trying to look tough by not showering, getting fake tattoos and wearing leather pants. Walker is a bit too white bread for his role and Brewster does little more than be pretty. Then there’s Chad Lindberg ("October Sky"), coasting through his part as a twitchy ace mechanic by doing a limp Giovanni Ribisi impression. Since I don’t consider droopy eyelids and stammering the equivalent of great acting, I wasn’t impressed. Why Lindberg chose to emulate a supporting player from "My Two Dads" I’ll never know.

Diesel overwhelms the rest of the cast. From his brawny physique and shaved head to his heavy bass voice, he’s got a dynamic screen presence. Diesel is one of the few rising stars today with any charisma. While most of young Hollywood looks like they just walked off a Tommy Hilfiger billboard, Diesel resembles an ex-con just out on parole. His performances are always impressive, but his choice of movies isn’t (case in point: the lukewarm "Boiler Room"). If Diesel can snag a high profile gig in a big flick (he debuted in "Saving Private Ryan," but was the first guy in the unit to die), then he might reach major stardom. Otherwise, his career could get stuck in neutral.