PAUL WALKER: FAST AND FURIOUS..and so much more (REST IN PEACE)

Me and my friend Starla decided to honor Paul Walker, who just recently died in a car crash. She has chosen three films she will talk about on her facebook page. I decided to write about the Fast and Furious series in which Paul was no doubt a big factor in its success. 

Let’s roll back the clock to 2001 and see where it all began. It was summer of 2001 and this little movie called The Fast and the Furious exploded at the cinemas. Paul was cast as Los Angeles police officer Brian O’Conner who goes undercover in the world of street racing to find out who has been hijacking trucks hauling goods. He encounters local legend Dominic Torreto (played by Vin Diesel) and quickly becomes part of Dom’s crew. Brian also falls for Dom’s sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) while keeping his identity under wraps and dealing with Johnny Tran, Dom’s enemy. 

The 1/4 mile race at the film's climax between Dominic and Brian

From it’s small beginning Fast and Furious opened to $40 million dollars that opening weekend and went on to make over $140 million that summer. 

Good friends Dominic (Vin Diesel) and Brian (Paul Walker)

Let’s keep in mind that when most people say fast and furious series is successful because of Vin Diesel and granted the man has a huge fanbase, but Paul Walker is the piece that has kept the series going through the years when Vin left. 

Case in point for the sequel, 2 Fast 2 furious (2003) Paul returned but Vin did not. This time Tyrese came aboard as the smart aleck Roman Pierce and immediately had good chemistry with Paul. 

The action shifted from Los Angeles to Miami and the racing and the action was just as good but this time Paul was squarely in the driver’s side. 2 Fast 2 Furious was a solid hit, earning just under $130 million, prompting a third movie called Toyko Drift, but without Paul or Vin. And it stalled at the box office, earning only $66 million. That was in 2006. 

Brian O'Conner is the man to beat now in 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS

It would be another three years beore another Fast and Furious movie would hit cinemas. And it was worth the wait as the original cast members from the first film all came back: Paul, Vin, Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez in the pivotal role as Dom’s girlfriend Letty. 

Was audiences ready for this comeback? Oh yeah, the opening weekend for this 4^th film logged $70 million, which was more than Toyko Drift made during it’s entire run. Fast and Furious was back up and running and would not be stopped. 

Paul’s character Brian O’Conner was back on the force but teams up with Dominic when a new bad guy threatens the ones they love. It was good seeing the guys back together and doing their thing. 

Brian O'Conner (Walker) and Dominic Torreto (Diesel) in the mix again

The ending would set up what I think is the best Fast and Furious movie so far, Fast Five. That film has one of the most audacious opening scenes in film history and sets the tone immediately. 

It’s bigger and bolder than any previous Furious film before as it brings back all the major characters from the previous films, moves the action to Rio and adds one super macho Dwayne Johnson to the mix to make one hell of a movie! It earned a mammoth $209 million during the spring of 2011 and cemented the fact that Fast and Furious was now a major player in movie franchises.

Paul, Jordana Brewster and Vin in FAST FIVE

 The recently released 6^th installment called Fast and Furious 6 was a gigantic hit as it earned nearly $240 million stateside and over $700 million worldwide. It’s amazing to see how this little series started out and now is one global juggernaut. 

And like I said, I know most people would say it’s because of Vin Diesel’s presence. But you have to give a lot of credit to Paul walker as an important piece to the success of this series as well. I remember most critics and non-fans wrote off the first movie as a B movie version of Point Break, which to some degree it is. But I think the introduction to the world of street racing to mainstream audiences made the film and entire series stand out from Point Break and all other films of it’s like. And I do believe if there was no chemistry between the characters in the film and no progression over the course of 13 years, it would have got old fast and faded away but it is one series that has actually gotten better over time.

Paul and Jordana in FAST AND FURIOUS 6

 At the time of his death, Paul was in the midst of filming the next chapter of the series and now it will be left up to the writers to see how this will affect the storyline. I do hope they honor his character and Paul himself with a worthy story and movie that will leave a wonderful memory to audiences everywhere.

GODSPEED PAUL WALKER!

Smiling faces of Paul and Jordana

FAST FIVE starts the summer movie season off with a bang

The deliriously over-the-top Fast Five kick starts the 2011 summer movie season and is just the right movie to pump some serious adrenaline into a struggling movie season. Picking up right where Fast and Furious left off, street racing legend Dominic Torreto (once again played by Vin Diesel) is in custody and on his way to federal prison. His escape is engineered by ex-cop now fugitive Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) and Dom's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster). After a sensational bus flipping scene that springs Dom from incarceration, the trio flee to Rio to plan their next move.

Which involves Dom's former crew member Vince (Matt Schulze) who has a plan to steal some sports cars off a moving train, which sets up another unbelievable high octane sequence. Things don't go smoothly as three DEA agents on board are killed in the crossfire and Dom and friends become Fugitives Most Wanted. They also have to deal with the crime boss of Rio who wants a chip that was in one of the cars. That chip contains information worth over $100 million.

The FBI send their top dog, a no holds barred agent named Hobbes (played with unrestrained gusto by Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson). His performance is all fire and brimstone and he always gets his man. He gives the film much of it's super charged kick. So while evading Hobbes, Dom and Brian call in all their friends for one final job to take down Reyes, the kingpin of Rio. Which means welcome returns from former Fast And Furious stars such as Tyrese, Ludacris, Sung Kang and Gal Gadot. It's cool seeing the entire franchise gang in one film as lots of memories surface and old friends get re-acquainted. There is a surprising amount of depth in this sequel as lots of tension and secrets come out. But don't worry, it doesn't skimp on the action either. There is a cool rooftop chase above the streets of Rio involving the leads and there is one helluva throw down between Diesel and The Rock. The blows they trade are unbelievable and it is one of the best fight scenes ever captured on film.

There is a spectacular ambush sequence that will remind you of Clear and Present Danger as Hobbes and his team are under fire by Reyes men. If that scene doesn't get your adrenaline going then nothing will. Newcomer to the series is Elsa Pataky as a local cop who assists Hobbes in the pursuit of Torreto and O'Conner but starts to think more is going that what appears.

One of the trademarks of this series is a street race scene and this film has a beaut as Dom, Brian, Roman and Han race police chargers a quarter mile to see who is the best once and for all. It's a nice homage to the entire series in that one scene and I won't spoil it by telling you who wins it.

The climax is a ridiculous scene that has Dom and Brian pulling a vault down the streets of Rio with two police chargers being pursued by the entire police force. Is it over the top? Yes. Is it fun and exciting? Hell yes! And by going old school with actual driving and stunt work instead of CGI, things are better appreciated. Fast Five is one hell of a ride that will not disappoint fans.  Also look for the always cool 1970 black Charger to make an appearance. I just can't believe this is number five in this wildly popular series. I can remember like yesterday when the original Fast and Furious came out 10 years ago like it was yesterday. And while this one wraps everything up nice and neat, they do leave the door open for a possible sixth one. I'm game for it.
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