From cars soaring between skyscrapers to a rocket-powered vehicle hitting orbit, defying gravity is a staple of the Fast & Furious movies. For a quarter-century, the franchise has sent all kinds of vehicles – from a Lykan HyperSport leaping between buildings to a rocket-fueled Pontiac Fiero launching into space – into the air. Why bother with conventional rescue approaches when you can airdrop your team in cars from a plane? Why covertly extract a safe from a police station when you can drag it out with a car? Even a torpedo can be redirected by hand.
Highlighted here are the wildest, most gravity-defying, jaw-dropping, or just downright absurd stunts from the Fast & Furious series. Notably absent are the antics from the very first movie, The Fast and the Furious, because while the later films pulled off increasingly extravagant feats, the original holds a special, classic place.
For those unfamiliar with these films, check out Mashable’s guide on streaming all the Fast & Furious films.
1. 2 Fast 2 Furious’s scramble: While fleeing Miami police with villain Carter Verone’s money, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and Roman Pierce (Tyrese Gibson) execute a police-befuddling trick, leading an epic car chase before hundreds of cars emerge to help them make their getaway.
2. The muscle car versus yacht showdown: To save undercover agent Monica Fuentes (Eva Mendes) in 2 Fast 2 Furious, Brian and Roman jump a muscle car onto Verone’s luxury yacht.
3. The Shibuya Crossing drift in Tokyo Drift: Han, Sean, and Neela race and drift beautifully through Tokyo’s busiest pedestrian area with precision that defies reality.
4. Fast & Furious’ tanker escape: Dom narrowly escapes a towering tanker by driving under it in the Dominican Republic.
5. Fast Five’s train escape: After hijacking a train, Dom dramatically drives a car out to save Brian, leaping off a cliff in slow motion.
6. The explosive toilet scene in Fast Five: A critical piece in their heist involves blowing an office’s plumbing, humorously leading to a chaotic bathroom explosion.
7. Fast Five’s vault heist: In a thrilling finale, Dom and Brian steal a safe, dragging it through the streets, utilizing some deft driving skills.
8. Tank hijinks in Fast & Furious 6: Roman approaches peril while Letty is dramatically saved mid-air, an impressive bit of teamwork.
9. Furious 7’s aerial car drop: The team drops their vehicles from a plane, showcasing collaboration and sheer audacity.
10. Brian’s precarious edge in Furious 7: An edge-of-your-seat escape on a teetering bus shows the protagonist’s resourcefulness and courage.
11. Furious 7’s skyscraper leap: In a jaw-dropping sequence, Dom skillfully maneuvers a supercar through multiple high-rise buildings.
12. Dom’s fight-ending stomp in Furious 7: Faced with a collapsing floor, Dom ends a fight with a well-timed ‘street always wins’ adage.
13. Overpowering in Furious 7: Dom and Hobbs take down a helicopter with coordinated vehicular strategies.
14. The Fate of the Furious’ opening Havana race: Dom uses an old, barely-functioning car to win a race, resorting to unconventional techniques.
15. The wrecking ball in The Fate of the Furious: A coordinated move with a wrecking ball decimates pursuing vehicles.
16. “Zombie” car chaos in The Fate of the Furious: Cipher’s cyberattack turns cars into uncontrolled obstacles in Manhattan.
17. Hobbs’ torpedo maneuver in The Fate of the Furious: In an unparalleled feat, Hobbs reroutes a torpedo with sheer hand strength.
18. Roman’s icy escape in The Fate of the Furious: A watery predicament and clever teamwork save the day during an icy showdown.
19. Fateful sub-explosion in The Fate of the Furious: Avoiding missiles, Dom utilizes smarts to redirect them, saving the team.
20. The adorable rescue in The Fate of the Furious: An action-packed rescue is softened by a baby’s presence, adding unique humor and charm.
21. F9’s landmine-evading thrill: Roman’s close call in a minefield keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
22. F9’s bold rope bridge swing: Ingenious maneuvering sees the crew crossing gaps using a severed bridge rope.
23. Tej and Roman’s space mission in F9: A wild space adventure executed by adept team members provides untold excitement.
24. Magnets in F9 steal the show: Ingenious use of magnets complement the chase sequences, creating controlled chaos.
25. Fast X’s explosive Rome chase: A thrilling bomb scene through Rome offers a nod to classic ball chase scenes.
26. Fast X’s crane intervention: Dom cleverly redirects a