Super charged, super fast, amped up on speed—Letty Ortiz—the babe with the attitude runs wild this week on Women Who Wow Wednesday.
Let’s face it, The Fast and the Furious movie franchise does not win awards, but what it lacks in praises by the academy it more than makes up in heart-pounding, adrenalin-soaked, action-packed racing sequences. The photography is a blur, the editing is jarring, and the shear thrill of its biting score burns tread marks around the competition of wannabe imposters.
Inspired by an article focusing on street racing in the 2000s, The Fast and the Furious torched the box office, raking in $207 Million on a production budget of $38 Million. It shot to #1 throughout North America in 2,628 theaters on opening weekend. Even then, the film had the markings of a juggernaut series few would reminisce in disputing.
Among the players stands Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), a bulk of a man tearing like thunder on four wheels. A highjacker. A family man. He’s the guy who the cops have been looking for a long time. Next, Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), the cop. He’s the guy sent in to bring Dominic to justice. Then, there’s Letty (Michelle Rodriquez), the strong one.
How can I describe Letty without giving up the whole story? She loves speed. And she loves the thrill of the chase. Give her a choice between staying at home watching the kids and cranking the juice on her NOS (Nitrous Oxcide Systems) tank—she has no trouble playing with the big boys and their cars. Homemaker status is so not her.
Playing Dominic’s love interest, she compliments his brazen risk taking with her own brand of gambling. Her street racing status flourished in her teens, carrying her to a god-like status with her admiring peers. Nothing Dominic can do that Letty can’t match. They are equals on every level. The perfect pair of crazed drivers no one should mess with on the road.
Is she tough? Yeah, you can say that. Let her tell you in her own words:
Letty: You want a piece of ass? go to Hollywood Boulevard. You want an adrenaline rush? that’ll be two large.
Is she lighthearted? You can say that too:
Letty: [to Dom] You look a bit tired. I think you should go upstairs and give me a massage.
What does Dominic’s sister think of her?
Mia: Letty grew up just down the street. She was into cars since she was like ten years old. Dom always had her attention. Then she turned sixteen…
Brian: And she had Dom’s attention.
Mia: Yeah, it’s funny how that works out.
A guru mechanic. A bona fide tough girl who takes no flack from anyone. Letty would make an excellent warrior, fighting alongside in a zombie apocalypse.
Nice to dream, isn’t it?
Have you seen any of The Fast and the Furious movies? What did you think of Letty?
Looking to God 
The only Fast and Furious film that I acknowledge is the ORIGINAL 1955 Roger Corman classic!!! Yes, the first Vin Diesel Fast and the Furious film is a loose remake/revision of Roger Cormans “B movie Classic”!
I would definitely pick Letty for my Zombie Apocalypse Dream Team (not that I have one of those…). My hubby and I just watched Fast and Furious 6 last night. The script was terrible, the story was so-so, but the cars make up for it all. I would be in so much trouble behind the wheel of one of those souped up muscle cars (yes, I’d choose the classics any day). It’s definitely for the best that I never had the opportunity to get into the street racing scene. Ha!
The F&F franchise has been my guilty pleasure since the beginning.The face pace shots, great car scenes, and of course Michelle Rodriquez. Michelle’s characters are alway so much fun to watch.
Great choice for this week. I will have to go back and watch the series again over the coming weeks.
-jb
I own all of Fast and Furious and love it to bits! Total awesomeness! Its nothing sophisticated but always so fun to watch, except maybe the 2nd and 3rd…but its okay..like Resident Evil, it can’t all be good, right? 😉 I can’t wait for the next one! Letty is totally fitting for this segment!
We LOVE the Fast & Furious movies in our house. (We ClearPlay them, so our children can enjoy the fast cars without the language/sex–it helps at least a little.) Letty is definitely a Woman Who Wow’s! Nice post!
I must have seen Vin Diesel in something else because I don’t remember her. What’s the motorbike one called? She sounds awesome!
The motorbike one? You mean Transformers?
I can’t remember now. I’ll ask Phil 🙂
Oh, I am so stealing that line about the massage. I like Letty’s style! 😉
She’s the reason I love Resident Evil 🙂
Resident Evil has three great reasons to watch it: Zombies, Michelle Rodriquez, and Milla Jovovich!
You win 🙂
We all win 😉
Yeah, Michelle Rodriguez is pretty great. This makes me want to go back and watch the original The Fast and the Furious.
I have not seen any of the Fast and Furious franchise – but she sounds like a tough/fun lady!
Incredibly tough, Katie! And it seems the producers gave there the coolest lines, too!