Vin Diesel on how Fast & Furious is like The Lord of the Rings

Have you ever considered the connections between J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy epic The Lord of the Rings and…wait for it…the Fast & Furious franchise? The high-octane, muscle-car mayhem series that’s all about family, precious.

Vin Diesel agrees. Speaking to Variety, the Fast & Furious frontman was asked if the franchise could be considered the Lord of the Rings of action movies. “From your mouth to god’s ears. It’s so true,” he responded.

And honestly, I can kind of see it. Remember that time when Frodo looked at Sam and said, “I can’t carry it for you, but I can carry you?” Well, switch out Middle-earth for the mean streets of L.A., and it’s not that different from Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) telling his crew, “I don’t have friends; I got family.”

It’s all about family, Mr. Frodo

The Fast saga may not be as culturally significant or beautifully crafted as Tolkien’s work, but Diesel’s not off base when he points out some intriguing parallels. Both the Fast saga and LOTR are filled to the brim with earnestness. No matter how outlandish the plot, they have a sincerity that keeps the suspension of disbelief from breaking.

Sure, you might snort when Dom drives a car through three skyscrapers in Dubai, but is that so much more absurd than Legolas single-handedly taking down an Oliphaunt in the Battle of Pelennor Fields without even mussing up his hair? The Fast crew pulling off a heist in space is bonkers, but so is a ragtag group of hobbits, men, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard setting off to destroy the One Ring.

Diesel himself is a die-hard fantasy fan and Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast, so he knows of that which he speaks. Whatever series you’re watching, it’s all about family, whether the one you’re born with or the one you find at the end of a quarter-mile race. Who’s to say that a stealthy ninja elf and a street-racing mechanic can’t have a few things in common?

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