Disgraced ex-cop Brian O'Connor (Walker) has fled from L.A. to Miami to hide out among the local street racers, but he's soon caught by a hotheaded, moronic customs agent (Remar) and blackmailed into service to nab a notorious smuggler (Hauser) with the help of a beautiful undercover agent (Mendes). Brian's one condition is that he gets to work with his childhood friend Roman (Tyrese), an ex-con under house arrest in the California desert. So Brian and Roman must overcome the bad blood between them to catch the bad guy, clear their records ... and stay alive.

Actually, the plot is more involving than it has any right to be, continually putting the characters into no-win situations that require outrageous levels of inventiveness. And while none of the cast will win acting awards, at least Tyrese has a gripping screen presence, while Hauser has a great time with the handsome-brutal baddie role. The real trump card here is director Singleton, who gives the film a raw energy that really gets the adrenaline going.

The film is infused with a groovy 1970s vibe--a terrific ethnic jumble, big hair, bikini-clad babes, super-flash cars. And he also adds a hilarious streak of comedy and subtext, which the first film lacked. The Miami Vice redux storyline is virtually a tender love story between Brian and Roman, with lots of muscly macho strutting around the edges. But it's the action scenes we're here for, and Singleton delvers them with gob-smacking camera work and clever effects that get us shaking our heads with amazement. By the time we get to the almost criminally enjoyable climactic chase, we're completely and utterly hooked. More! More!