Reckless and illegal behavior involving teens, sexual content, drug references, intense sequences of violence and action.

Total box office, $2.4 billion, and counting.

The latest installment of the "Fast and Furious" franchise hits theaters this weekend. It's the seventh film in a series that now runs 14 years. Still, many people, even film fans, have never seen a "Fast and Furious" film. For all of you, here's a quick way to get up to speed on the car-crazed, stunt-mad, turbo action movies.

What's it all about?

The original film was released in 2001.  A Washington Post review called it, "The Young and the Restless with gas fumes."  It's about a group of L.A. tough guys and their women. They bond over American muscle cars and Japanese rally cars, get involved in capers, and look cool while doing it.

How many cars were used in the films?

In "Furious 7", about 340.  That's not a record. Fast V used more than 400.  80 percent of the cars were destroyed. They range from classic American models which have been updated with modern power trains and suspensions, to exotics, like the Mclaren P1 which goes for goes for $1.15 million.

What about those crazy stunts? Real, or computer-generated?

According to the film's car coordinator, Dennis McCarthy, most of the car action is real. Computers are used to insert backgrounds, and to erase things like wires and cranes often used to suspend cars in mid-air. But generally, if a car crashes, it actually crashes, though there's not always a stunt driver inside.

How does the current film deal with the death of one of the key actors, Paul Walker?

Walker, who has co-starred in all seven films, died while driving with a friend during the period in which "Furious 7" was being filmed. The filmmakers decided to keep his character in the movie, using scenes he'd already filmed, doing some computer tricks, and employing his two brothers as stand-ins. By most accounts they did a good job.

How do you explain the popularity of the 'Fast and Furious' movies?

In three words, big dumb fun. It doesn't hurt that cars are already deified in American culture. In Furious, the cars are seriously cool, and the action sequences are inventive and artfully executed. The characters can be lugheads, but they have a lot of heart and loyalty for each other. Plus, like the majority of the people who love these films, the cast is multi-ethnic, something you don't see a lot in Hollywood movies. These aren't rich kids in their Daddy's Porsche. They're underdogs from the streets of L.A.–Latinos, Samoans, Asians and Blacks who drive fast, live fast and look good.