As a long-time fan of the Fast and Furious franchise, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia when thinking about the series’ golden age. Having grown up with these movies, I found myself deeply connected to the characters, especially Brian O’Conner, played by the late, great Paul Walker.
Gather up your Corona and family, as one of today’s most popular Hollywood franchises has now sped onto the premier streaming platform: this week, the initial six chapters from the Fast & Furious series made their debut on Netflix. This is an exciting opportunity for both long-time enthusiasts and newcomers to keep living their lives at high speed, a quarter-mile at a time. Remarkably, these first six films showcase an intriguing transformation. The franchise originally paid tribute to the movie Point Break, swapping surfing for street racing, but it grew increasingly larger and more over-the-top with each new release. It’s fair to say that today, the franchise could be considered superhero films starring muscle cars.
As a passionate film enthusiast, I can’t help but reflect on the recent installments of this beloved franchise, which, despite being entertaining, haven’t quite captured the magic of the fifth through seventh films – the series’ undisputed peak. Many fans and critics alike share this sentiment, with numerous theories floating around. Some argue that the creative team has been aiming too high, losing sight of the series’ more grounded origins. Others believe they’ve dived too deep into self-parody, losing touch with their initial absurdity charm.
Paul Walker’s Death Put Fast and Furious in a Difficult Position
On November 10, 2013, exactly two months into filming Furious 7, a tragic event unfolded. Actor Paul Walker, who portrayed franchise co-protagonist Brian O’Conner, passed away along with his driver in a fatal car accident involving a single vehicle. The incident occurred when their speeding car veered off the road. At just 40 years old, this unfortunate incident halted production of Furious 7, which was scheduled for release the following year, leading to its eventual delay until 2015.
In early 2014, extensive script revisions were made, enabling director James Wan and the creative team to choose a different path for Brian’s character rather than having him die. This decision allowed the series to carry on without him when filming resumed. Caleb and Cody Walker, Paul Walker’s brothers, took over his remaining scenes, with Paul’s face being digitally inserted onto their bodies later. The movie’s poignant final scene depicts Brian formally retiring from the team to be with his family, engaging in one last street race with Dominic Toretto.
Under the circumstances, it seems this decision was most likely the right one for the team to make. Walker was deeply respected by everyone involved in the Fast and Furious series, and carrying on with the franchise after his passing appeared to be what he would have preferred. James Wan, who initially considered abandoning Furious 7, echoed this sentiment during an interview with Hindustan Times, stating that they needed to complete the movie to uphold Walker’s legacy and remember him properly. In essence, it was about creating this film for Paul.
Despite such an emotional farewell, it’s peculiar that the movies following this have made efforts to exclude Brian from the narrative, either through writing him out or providing reasons for his absence. In a somewhat divisive move, The Fate of the Furious reveals that Dom named his son after Brian, while F9 opted to have Brian appear in the final scene for dinner, albeit not physically present on screen. Though these tributes to Walker are undoubtedly heartfelt, they ultimately serve only to underscore the recent absence of Brian’s presence from the series.
Paul Walker Kept Fast and Furious Grounded
As a movie enthusiast, I must confess that the more recent installments of the Fast and Furious franchise have faced criticism for pushing the boundaries of believability to an extreme, and for injecting a dose of self-awareness into a series that had been cherished for its sincerity. While these criticisms aren’t without merit, and it would be refreshing to see the films revisit their origins, I believe they may be indicative of a deeper issue: Paul Walker’s portrayal of Brian O’Conner was instrumental in keeping the series emotionally anchored.
In a franchise known for its tough-guy stars such as Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, John Cena, and Jason Momoa, Walker’s distinct everyman charm was evident. In the initial film, he played an undercover police officer trying to take down Dominic Toretto, which allowed him to serve as a sort of substitute character, offering viewers a perspective into the realm of street racing. As the stunts grew increasingly extravagant, Brian stood apart by maintaining emotional authenticity, showing concern for his wife (and eventually their children). His relatability provided a significant contrast to Toretto’s macho persona.
Following Walker’s demise, it became challenging for the series to discover a fitting stand-in for an everyday character within Dom’s family. The movies shifted towards featuring hardened actors, often filled with Stallone/Schwarzenegger-like personas, overlooking the significance of a character like John McClane. Consequently, the films lost some of their initial authenticity and emotional depth, making them seem excessively macho, despite remaining entertaining.
Beyond numerous accounts detailing the challenges encountered during production for most films following Walker’s demise, a significant point of contention lies in the reported tension between Dwayne Johnson and Vin Diesel during the filming of The Fate of the Furious. Their disagreements escalated to such an extent that they seldom appeared on screen together. Numerous sources have highlighted Diesel’s demanding nature, particularly, and it’s unfortunate but noteworthy that these issues seem to have gained more prominence following Walker’s passing.
Fast and Furious Had a Difficult Circumstance to Navigate
Certainly, it wasn’t foreseen by any member of the creative team that the series’ shared lead character would meet such a tragic end. Remarkably, the franchise has continued despite the absence of such a pivotal figure, and, in general, the films without him have still been entertaining to watch.
Regardless, it seems there’s something crucial lacking in Fast and Furious, even though the creative team had to carry on. It’s unfortunate that this necessitated sacrificing a significant amount of the emotional depth that characterized the series during its best moments. Here’s hoping the eleventh (and last) installment will pick up speed soon. By the way, Fast and Furious 1-6 are now available for streaming on Netflix.
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2024-11-18 01:05