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SINGAPORE: The model is supposedly new, but the parts are all original. At least that’s what the tag line promises. That said, those eight-year-old parts sure didn’t hold Fast and Furious back from racing right to the top of the American box office.
Yes, the chequered flag is up and the results are in: The fourth instalment of the fast car franchise that started way back in 2001 certainly put the pedal to the metal, bringing in an astounding US$72.5-million ($109-million) in its opening weekend in the United States.
Not only is Fast and Furious the biggest opening weekend of 2009 thus far, it’s also, according to Time magazine, the biggest April-released movie ever (previous record holder Anger Management starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson only picked up US$42 million six years ago). Talk about turbo charged.
So, as the incredulous “What? It’s still around? There’s actually a fourth one?” murmurings float across Singapore, we here at Today have similarly been racking our brains to figure out how and why this B-list franchise received such an unexpected big hurrah. After all, it’s pretty much the same film: Souped-up foreign import cars driven by tough guys and sexy girls at neck-breaking speeds ... crashing into something and bursting into flames.
Besides the obvious reason that movies as such are a good fantasy break from our economic reality, there is another huge consensus. This fourth film works because it runs on diesel. Vin Diesel, that is.
Put the master of B-list but hugely popular, thoroughly profitable franchises (think XXX and The Chronicles of Riddick) back in the driving seat and continue the saga that your in-built fanbase has been waiting for years to see unfold. Voila! Instant hit! Doesn’t everyone love a reunion?
Others talk about the lure of a low budget and high box-office returns. Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo told USA Today: “You tend to scratch your head with sequels of some movies ... But it’s all about cost. If it does well on DVD or overseas, you often get another movie.”
But we reckon Walker said it the best.
He told the paper that the enduring appeal of the franchise has nothing to do with budgets or overseas box office.
“The cars are the stars,” he said. “And who doesn’t want to see fast cars and hot women?”
Your mother. But she’s waiting for Mamma Mia 2.
Fast and Furious opens in cinemas tomorrow.
Interview with Vin Diesel, Paul Walker.
What convinced you guys to come back to this franchise?
Vin Diesel (VD): Universal made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. (Studio executive) Jeffrey Kirschenbaum asked me to do a cameo in the third instalment of the franchise, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. He said that if I did it I could produce the movie I had always envisioned as being a continuation of the first one. That’s how he got me!
Paul Walker (PW): The first question I asked myself was: “How many times can we revisit the same franchise without pushing it too far?” What helped me the most was to know the fans wanted more. A lot of it had to do with the studios’ real enthusiasm for the project, which was clear as soon as I heard how much they were planning to spend on the movie (reportedly US$90 million). It is literally putting your money where your mouth is.
Paul, what is Vin like to work with?
PW: Vin likes to have his fingers on as many buttons as he can, is detail-oriented and very specific about what he wants. It’s not just about the movie with him but the entire franchise, because he always sees the big picture. He is like a little mini studio!
How different are you to him?
PW: I am more laid-back and more about what’s happening organically. I’m normally just trying to make people happy. We are very different and that’s why I think we work so well together.
There’s certainly that chemistry on screen.
VD: It’s funny, but my mother feels our chemistry is amplified by the fact that my own twin brother looks a lot like Paul Walker — and his name is Paul, too! There is a very strong similarity between them and maybe that’s why I am designed to have chemistry with him.
Vin, did you ever consider the possibility of directing this movie?
VD: No, I didn’t because I was content producing it and Justin Lin had done a great job with the mechanics of the third movie. He really cut his teeth on The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and proved he was ready to take on the task of continuing the story set out in The Fast and the Furious. Both Universal and Justin challenged me to direct a short film that acts as a prequel to this movie: Los Bandoleros. I shot it in The Dominican Republic. (The short film will be included in the film’s US DVD release.)
Paul, you’re known for your passion for cars in real life.
PW: Absolutely! The blue car I drive in the movie was my choice. It’s the R34 Nissan Skyline, and it was never sold in America. It’s one of my all-time favourite cars, very well balanced and fun to drive. I actually own two: A white one and a red one. My character, Brian, drove it in the first sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, which shows his affinity for that car. He is a GTR guy!
Vin, do you have a dream car?
VD: I do, though I haven’t gotten it yet. It is a 1970 Chevelle, like the one in the movie, but convertible. The problem is I believe that out of the 201 that were made, only one was a convertible!
After four movies in the franchise, will there be a sequel?
VD: If we can knock it out of the park, we will do it.
PW: I would, but I prefer to take one step at a time and see how this movie does. For me to come back it has to feel right; like it did in Fast and Furious. - TODAY/sh
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