Review - Fast & Furious: Spy Racers (2019-2021)

         Hey guys, Chuck here. With just a month until the release of the next film in the nearly endless Fast & Furious franchise, Fast X, I'm taking a look at a Netflix animated series for kids that is set in the world of the Fast & Furious movies. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, Fast & Furious: Spy Racers ran from December 2019 through December 2021, and focused on a young group of street racers as they are recruited to travel around the globe to stop a ring of international criminals who are deep in the world of car culture. 

        So, the central character of the series is Tony Toretto, who is the younger cousin of film series protagonist Dominic Toretto. Tony's crew consists of drivers Cisco and Echo, as well as tech genius Frostee. After losing a street race, Tony reunites with Dom, who gets grabbed by men in a black van. Tony and his crew chase after him, only to learn that they were being tested by a government agent called Ms. Nowhere. And yes, she's a part of the same agency as Mr. Nobody from the film series. Anyway, Ms. Nowhere reveals that she needs a team of street racers to infiltrate a criminal syndicate called SHIFT3R, which is centered on two things: racing and world domination. Unfortunately, Dom is too high profile of an individual to be part of the mission, which is why he recommends Tony instead. Ms. Nowhere reveals two members of SHIFT3R, the leader Shashi Dhar, and the recruiter Layla Gray. 

           As the series progresses, other villains crop up in various parts of the world, and of course Tony and his crew do their part to stop their plans for world domination. However, Shashi Dhar and SHIFT3R are only ever the villains of the first season, as the other antagonists throughout the series aren't part of the organization known as SHIFT3R. Also, begins working with Ms. Nowhere during the second season, and eventually becomes part of Tony's crew during the third season. I also admire how each season is set in a different primary location, with the season one being in Los Angeles, season two being in Rio de Janeiro, season three being in the Sahara desert, season four being in Mexico, season four being in the South Pacific, and the final season returning to Los Angeles. 

          Now, I actually really liked the animation style for the series. While it matches the animation style of such series as Transformers Prime, it works because of the overall aesthetic of each of the cars featured throughout the series. And yes, this series highlights the cars throughout each season, because remember: the Fast & Furious franchise is all about the cars. And the cars all look awesome. 

       The main cast of characters are definitely a lot of fun, with Tyler Posey definitely doing a phenomenal job as Tony Toretto. I also enjoyed both Charlet Chung as Echo and Camille Ramsey as Layla, while both Jorge Diaz as Cisco and Luke Youngblood as Frostee were hilarious comedic relief. Renee Elise Goldsberry was an amazing addition as government agent Ms. Nowhere, and I also enjoyed Tru Valentino as Gary. Now, as a means to connect the series to the movies, Vin Diesel reprises his role as Dominic Toretto in a number of guest appearances. And, while the animation on Dom is a little bit rough and nearly falls into the uncanny valley, it's great that Vin Diesel came back to the role to tie this series into the wider Fast & Furious franchise. 

         Overall, a really fun little series. Fast & Furious Spy Racers is a neat series for kids and families to enjoy as a small piece of Universal's iconic Fast & Furious franchise. I'm giving Fast & Furious Spy Racers an overall rating of 4.35/5. Oh, and there's also a video game tie in to the series called Fast & Furious Spy Racers: Rise of SHIFT3R, and it's a fun little game. I've played it for the Nintendo Switch, and I really enjoy it. 

       Anyway guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time.